standpat

1 of 2

adjective

stand·​pat ˈstan(d)-ˈpat How to pronounce standpat (audio)
: stubbornly conservative : resisting or opposing change

stand pat

2 of 2

verb

stood pat; standing pat; stands pat

intransitive verb

1
: to play one's hand as dealt in draw poker without drawing
2
: to oppose or resist change
standpatter noun
standpattism noun

Did you know?

If you stand pat in draw poker you're betting on the cards in your hand being better than any you're likely to draw. It didn't take long for stand pat to move from the poker table, where it first appeared in the late 1800s, to the realm of politics; by the early 20th century, to stand pat was to oppose any change in U.S. tariff policy. The term continues to be used mainly in U.S. English, where it's applied to everything from a coach's decision not to change out players during a game to a homeowner's decision not to refinance. The nouns standpatter ("one who resists or opposes change") and standpattism ("resistance to change" or "reluctance to take positive action") are also used, although generally only in political contexts.

Examples of standpat in a Sentence

Adjective the standpat chefs were having none of this low-calorie stuff that the food police were pushing
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
The only exceptions are Leger, Redfield & Wilton Strategies and Ipsos/ABC News, whose post-debate polls showed Harris losing 1 point, standing pat and standing pat, respectively, compared with their last surveys. G. Elliott Morris, ABC News, 17 Sep. 2024 The other side: Martinez and the Board of Education have stood pat against the mayor and the union, pushing back against the idea of borrowing money to pay for parts of the budget. Justin Kaufmann, Axios, 4 Sep. 2024 Orioles stay busy, add Slater The Orioles didn’t stand pat from there. Matt Weyrich, Baltimore Sun, 30 July 2024 At its most recent annual meeting, a shareholder resolution asked that the company stand pat if its workers wanted to organize. Melvin Backman, Quartz, 27 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for standpat 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'standpat.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

pat entry 4

First Known Use

Adjective

1893, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1865, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of standpat was in 1865

Dictionary Entries Near standpat

Cite this Entry

“Standpat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/standpat. Accessed 12 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

stand pat

verb
1
: to play one's hand as dealt in draw poker without drawing
2
: to oppose or resist change
standpatter noun
standpattism noun
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