standout

1 of 2

noun

stand·​out ˈstand-ˌau̇t 

often attributive

: one that is prominent or conspicuous especially because of excellence

stand out

2 of 2

verb

stood out; standing out; stands out

intransitive verb

1

a

: to stick out from a surface : project

b

: to be prominent or conspicuous

His bright hat made him stand out in the crowd.

also : to be better or more important in a conspicuous way

His performance really stood out.

One part of the testimony stands out.

2

: to steer away from shore

3

: to be stubborn in resolution or resistance

Synonyms of standout

Noun

• star
• celebrity
• personality
• notable

Verb

• protrude
• poke
• stick out
• bulge

Examples of standout in a Sentence

Noun

She is a standout among the available candidates.

All the cameras we tested were good, but there was no real standout.

Verb

the relief figures stand out from the wall quite strikingly

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Chloe Fineman, one of the NBC sketch comedy’s standout performers in the past few years, is leaving after seven seasons. — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 16 July 2026

The former Iowa standout hobbled back on defense and was subbed out for the rest of the first half shortly after. — Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 16 July 2026

Verb

Midtown, But Better Midtown is not always where people expect to find personality, which is exactly why the right places stand out harder in the summer. — Rafael Peña, Miami Herald, 13 July 2026

In the Theater District, a good coffee shop is never more than a block away, but two stand out for pre-show mornings. — Lauren Schuster, Charlotte Observer, 13 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1915, in the meaning defined above

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for standout

• about
• bailout
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout
• checkout
• closeout
• cutout
• devout
• dropout

Kids Definition

standout

1 of 2 noun

stand·​out ˈstan-ˌdau̇t 

: one that is well-known or outstanding especially because of excellence

stand out

2 of 2 verb

(ˈ)stan-ˈdau̇t

1

: to stick out from a surface : project

2

: to be easily seen or recognized