stand·by
ˈstan(d)-ˌbī 
plural standbys
ˈstan(d)-ˌbīz
1
a
: one to be relied on especially in emergencies
b
: a favorite or reliable choice or resource
2
: one that is held in reserve ready for use : substitute
1
: held near at hand and ready for use
a standby power plant
standby equipment
2
: relating to the act or condition of standing by
standby duty
a standby period
3
: of, relating to, or traveling by an airline service in which the passenger must wait for an available unreserved seat
standby passengers
a standby ticket
: on a standby basis
fly standby
stood by; standing by; stands by
1
: to be present
also
: to remain apart or aloof
2
: to be or to get ready to act
an ambulance was standing by
: to remain loyal or faithful to : defend
stood by his decision
Synonyms
Examples of standby in a Sentence
Noun
More police officers were sent as standbys.
We bought an electric generator as a standby.
Verb
no matter how much people object, I will stand by my decision
Recent Examples on the Web
Jenna Ryu, SELF, 10 Apr. 2024
Additionally, some towns have already declared an emergency, and National Guard troops have been put on standby.
—David Gilbert, WIRED, 5 Apr. 2024
Ultimately, these old standbys are probably a surer path to long-term weight loss than jumping on the apple cider vinegar trend.
—Sarah Garone, Health, 29 Mar. 2024
Lubbock Fire Rescue responded and was on standby as the plane returned to the gate on its own power.
—Mateo Rosiles, USA TODAY, 5 Apr. 2024
Moore said work is underway to cut up some of the large sections of the bridge, with a massive crane on standby to lift them out of the channel.
—Dalia Faheid, CNN, 31 Mar. 2024
Kentucky's Emergency Operations Center has been activated and urban search and rescue crews from Jefferson County, northern Kentucky and the Ashland Fire Department are currently on standby.
—The Courier-Journal, 15 Mar. 2024
Southwest customers can rebook or travel standby within 2 weeks of their original travel date without additional charges, according to the alert.
—Katie Langford, The Denver Post, 12 Mar. 2024
New designers, actors, jewelry, styles, shapes, hairstyles — even lip colors — are replacing old standbys.
—Merle Ginsberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Mar. 2024
Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2024
The battery can last a week in standby time, but there are no apps.
—Julian Chokkattu, WIRED, 16 Apr. 2024
That was about as long as the regular standby wait for Hulk but shorter than the standby wait for Rip Ride Rockit.
—Eve Chen, USA TODAY, 11 Apr. 2024
In that time, the US central bank executed a series of large rate hikes before going into standby mode during the past several months.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN, 11 Apr. 2024
Like a lot of the standby songs and commentaries on his 2023 tour and now (following a sick-day pause) the ‘24 outing, this particular standout has to do with his most recurring theme of recent years, live and on record: the thin veil between life and death.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 7 Apr. 2024
Delta meteorologist Warren Weston is on standby, ready to steer the flights above any potential cloud cover, ensuring a clear view of the eclipse.
—Manuel Bojorquez, CBS News, 5 Apr. 2024
Police, fire and rescue personnel will be on standby, extra emergency and homeless shelters will open Saturday evening, street crews were preparing for rapid clearing of trees and branches, and water and power crews were ready to respond to outages, Bass said.
—Katherine Itoh, NBC News, 3 Feb. 2024
The pen even features a standby mode for additional safety.
—Erica Puisis, Parents, 9 Mar. 2024
Susan Glaser, cleveland, 31 Aug. 2020
Silver status grants access to the Priority Reservations Waitlist (a waitlist to get a seat in a higher class) and gives travelers higher priority when flying standby.
—Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 25 Mar. 2023
Earlier this year, American also eliminated ticketing fees such as charges to fly standby on a same-day domestic flight—which used to cost passengers $75—as well as nixing $150 mileage reinstatement fees for customers who cancel travel originally booked with frequent flier miles.
—Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Nov. 2020
These days, hardly anyone is aware of the scientific reasoning behind this playground standby.
—Luke D. Fannin, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Feb. 2023
Flying by plane with the Army usually meant flying standby.
—Brianna Kwasnik, Arkansas Online, 7 May 2021
All customers with flights scheduled for Wednesday may rebook or fly standby within 14 days of their original travel dates without paying any extra fees.
—Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2023
On Saturday, players and coaches went to the St. Louis airport at 5 a.m. to try to fly standby.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 27 Dec. 2022
Once, while flying standby back from Europe, I was bumped off a flight 41 times in a row. Apologies.
—Chuck Wilcoxen, The Christian Science Monitor, 1 Nov. 2021
Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 14 Apr. 2024
Looking back on that photoshoot, McConaughey stands by his choice to go with denim.
—Elizabeth Leonard, Peoplemag, 11 Apr. 2024
The auditor’s response said the office stands by its findings.
—Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Apr. 2024
The homeless advocate, meanwhile, said more than 20 persons were displaced in the sweep, and many just stood by the large open field not knowing what to do next, some walking off with bags and their pets.
—Judith Prieve, The Mercury News, 9 Apr. 2024
During the episode, which is available to stream on Netflix, Kramer (Michael Richards) records a carjacking with his video camera while Jerry, Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and George (Jason Alexander) stand by and make fun of the victim's weight.
—Erin Jensen, USA TODAY, 8 Apr. 2024
The good news is that despite the growing risks, some energy market veterans are standing by their cautiously optimistic forecasts.
—Matt Egan, CNN, 8 Apr. 2024
Aurora Fire Technical Rescue team member, Jeffery Seeker stands by to keep plungers safe.
—Andy Cross, The Denver Post, 6 Apr. 2024
The White House statement noted that Mr. Biden stood by Israel against Iran during his Thursday call with Mr. Netanyahu, which in addition to Mr. Blinken included Vice President Kamala Harris and Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser.
—Peter Baker, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024
Noun
Rather than resigning myself to an empty stomach, though, Dr. Gentile suggests a smarter approach for these overwhelming moments: keeping convenient and relatively plain foods on standby.
—Jenna Ryu, SELF, 10 Apr. 2024
Additionally, some towns have already declared an emergency, and National Guard troops have been put on standby.
—David Gilbert, WIRED, 5 Apr. 2024
Ultimately, these old standbys are probably a surer path to long-term weight loss than jumping on the apple cider vinegar trend.
—Sarah Garone, Health, 29 Mar. 2024
Lubbock Fire Rescue responded and was on standby as the plane returned to the gate on its own power.
—Mateo Rosiles, USA TODAY, 5 Apr. 2024
Moore said work is underway to cut up some of the large sections of the bridge, with a massive crane on standby to lift them out of the channel.
—Dalia Faheid, CNN, 31 Mar. 2024
Kentucky's Emergency Operations Center has been activated and urban search and rescue crews from Jefferson County, northern Kentucky and the Ashland Fire Department are currently on standby.
—The Courier-Journal, 15 Mar. 2024
Southwest customers can rebook or travel standby within 2 weeks of their original travel date without additional charges, according to the alert.
—Katie Langford, The Denver Post, 12 Mar. 2024
New designers, actors, jewelry, styles, shapes, hairstyles — even lip colors — are replacing old standbys.
—Merle Ginsberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Mar. 2024
Adjective
Their customer support team is on standby 24/7 via live chat, email, and even a toll-free phone number.
—Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2024
The battery can last a week in standby time, but there are no apps.
—Julian Chokkattu, WIRED, 16 Apr. 2024
That was about as long as the regular standby wait for Hulk but shorter than the standby wait for Rip Ride Rockit.
—Eve Chen, USA TODAY, 11 Apr. 2024
In that time, the US central bank executed a series of large rate hikes before going into standby mode during the past several months.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN, 11 Apr. 2024
Like a lot of the standby songs and commentaries on his 2023 tour and now (following a sick-day pause) the ‘24 outing, this particular standout has to do with his most recurring theme of recent years, live and on record: the thin veil between life and death.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 7 Apr. 2024
Delta meteorologist Warren Weston is on standby, ready to steer the flights above any potential cloud cover, ensuring a clear view of the eclipse.
—Manuel Bojorquez, CBS News, 5 Apr. 2024
Police, fire and rescue personnel will be on standby, extra emergency and homeless shelters will open Saturday evening, street crews were preparing for rapid clearing of trees and branches, and water and power crews were ready to respond to outages, Bass said.
—Katherine Itoh, NBC News, 3 Feb. 2024
The pen even features a standby mode for additional safety.
—Erica Puisis, Parents, 9 Mar. 2024
Adverb
The new policy was announced Sunday, along with another significant change – United travelers can now fly standby for free on flights departing the day of their travel.
—Susan Glaser, cleveland, 31 Aug. 2020
Silver status grants access to the Priority Reservations Waitlist (a waitlist to get a seat in a higher class) and gives travelers higher priority when flying standby.
—Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 25 Mar. 2023
Earlier this year, American also eliminated ticketing fees such as charges to fly standby on a same-day domestic flight—which used to cost passengers $75—as well as nixing $150 mileage reinstatement fees for customers who cancel travel originally booked with frequent flier miles.
—Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Nov. 2020
These days, hardly anyone is aware of the scientific reasoning behind this playground standby.
—Luke D. Fannin, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Feb. 2023
Flying by plane with the Army usually meant flying standby.
—Brianna Kwasnik, Arkansas Online, 7 May 2021
All customers with flights scheduled for Wednesday may rebook or fly standby within 14 days of their original travel dates without paying any extra fees.
—Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2023
On Saturday, players and coaches went to the St. Louis airport at 5 a.m. to try to fly standby.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 27 Dec. 2022
Once, while flying standby back from Europe, I was bumped off a flight 41 times in a row. Apologies.
—Chuck Wilcoxen, The Christian Science Monitor, 1 Nov. 2021
Verb
Israelis should remember that even after six months of their brutal war on Gaza, several Arab nations stood by them against aggression from Tehran.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 14 Apr. 2024
Looking back on that photoshoot, McConaughey stands by his choice to go with denim.
—Elizabeth Leonard, Peoplemag, 11 Apr. 2024
The auditor’s response said the office stands by its findings.
—Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Apr. 2024
The homeless advocate, meanwhile, said more than 20 persons were displaced in the sweep, and many just stood by the large open field not knowing what to do next, some walking off with bags and their pets.
—Judith Prieve, The Mercury News, 9 Apr. 2024
During the episode, which is available to stream on Netflix, Kramer (Michael Richards) records a carjacking with his video camera while Jerry, Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and George (Jason Alexander) stand by and make fun of the victim's weight.
—Erin Jensen, USA TODAY, 8 Apr. 2024
The good news is that despite the growing risks, some energy market veterans are standing by their cautiously optimistic forecasts.
—Matt Egan, CNN, 8 Apr. 2024
Aurora Fire Technical Rescue team member, Jeffery Seeker stands by to keep plungers safe.
—Andy Cross, The Denver Post, 6 Apr. 2024
The White House statement noted that Mr. Biden stood by Israel against Iran during his Thursday call with Mr. Netanyahu, which in addition to Mr. Blinken included Vice President Kamala Harris and Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser.
—Peter Baker, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'standby.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near standby
Cite this Entry
“Standby.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/standby. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
standby
1 of 4 noun
stand·by
ˈstan(d)-ˌbī
plural standbys
-ˌbīz
: one available or to be relied on especially in emergencies
standby
2 of 4 adjective1
: held near at hand and ready for use
standby equipment
2
: relating to the act of standing by
a standby period
3
: of or relating to a mode of transportation (as airline service) in which the passengers must wait for an available unreserved spot
a standby ticket
standby
3 of 4 adverb
: as a standby passenger
flying standby
stand by
4 of 4 verb(ˈ)stan(d)-ˈbī
1
: to be present
stood by, watching the game
2
: to be or to get ready to act
ambulances are standing by
3
: to remain loyal or faithful
stood by us to the end
stood by his decision
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