stood
ˈstu̇d 
; standing
; standing
1
a
: to support oneself on the feet in an erect position
b
: to be a specified height when fully erect
stands six feet two
c
: to rise to an erect position
2
a
: to take up or maintain a specified position or posture
stand aside
can you stand on your head
b
: to maintain one's position
stand firm
3
: to be in a particular state or situation
stands accused
4
: to hold a course at sea
5
obsolete
: hesitate
6
a
: to have or maintain a relative position in or as if in a graded scale
stands first in the class
b
: to be in a position to gain or lose because of an action taken or a commitment made
stands to make quite a profit
7
chiefly British
: to be a candidate : run
8
a
: to rest or remain upright on a base or lower end
a clock stood on the mantle
b
: to occupy a place or location
the house stands on a knoll
9
a
: to remain stationary or inactive
the car stood in the garage for a week
b
: to gather slowly and remain
tears standing in her eyes
11
a
: to exist in a definite written or printed form
copy a passage exactly as it stands
b
: to remain valid or efficacious
the order given last week still stands
12
of a male animal
: to be available as a sire
—used especially of horses
13
: to refuse additional cards (as in blackjack)
1
a
: to endure or undergo successfully
this book will stand the test of time
b
: to tolerate without flinching : bear courageously
stands pain well
c
: to endure the presence or personality of
can't stand the boss
d
: to derive benefit or enjoyment from
you look like you could stand a drink
2
: to remain firm in the face of
stand a siege
3
: to submit to
stand trial
4
a
: to perform the duty of
stand guard
b
: to participate in (a military formation)
5
: to pay the cost of (a treat) : pay for
I'll stand you a dinner
stand drinks
6
: to cause to stand : set upright
7
: to make available for breeding
stand a stallion
stander
noun
1
a
: a halt for defense or resistance
b
: an often defensive effort of some duration or degree of success
a goal-line stand
c(1)
: a stop made to give a performance
a 6-game stand at home
(2)
: a town where such a stop is made
2
: an act of stopping or staying in one place
3
a
: a place or post where one stands
b
: a strongly or aggressively held position especially on a debatable issue
took a stand against higher taxes
4
a
: the place taken by a witness for testifying in court
b
stands plural
(1)
: a section of the tiered seats for spectators of a sport or spectacle
(2)
: the occupants of such seats
c
: a raised platform (as for a speaker or hunter) serving as a point of vantage
5
a
: a small often open-air structure for a small retail business
a vegetable stand
a hot dog stand
b
: a site fit for business opportunity
6
: a place where a passenger vehicle stops or parks
a taxi stand
7
8
: a frame on or in which something may be placed for support
9
: a group of plants growing in a continuous area
10
: a standing posture
Examples of stand in a Sentence
Verb
She was standing near the window.
He was standing next to me.
All of the seats on the bus were taken so we had to stand.
He can stand using a cane.
He was standing in a puddle of water.
The deer stood still, listening for danger.
We had to stand in line for over an hour.
Two bowling pins were left standing.
A shovel and rake stood in the corner.
She stood the ladder against the house.
Noun
The team insured their victory with an impressive goal-line stand.
The army is preparing to make a stand against the enemy.
students making a stand against the war
We have display stands in many bookstores.
Recent Examples on the Web
Shelby Stewart, Essence, 10 July 2025
Christopher Nolan’s and David Goyer’s near-perfect reboot had to not just stand on its own merits, but also serve as a reset of the public’s perception of the entire Batman character and franchise.
—Mark Hughes, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
Nena Farrell, Wired News, 10 July 2025
Money in, money out: Use classic methods, such as a lemonade stand, to teach earning money and managing expenses.
—Kris Ann Valdez, Parents, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for stand
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Verb
Since its founding in 1913 at Howard University, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. has stood as a vanguard of leadership, scholarship, and public service.
—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 10 July 2025
Christopher Nolan’s and David Goyer’s near-perfect reboot had to not just stand on its own merits, but also serve as a reset of the public’s perception of the entire Batman character and franchise.
—Mark Hughes, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
Noun
The little charging stand is perfect for a garage or storage room shelf, as long as there's a power outlet nearby.
—Nena Farrell, Wired News, 10 July 2025
Money in, money out: Use classic methods, such as a lemonade stand, to teach earning money and managing expenses.
—Kris Ann Valdez, Parents, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for stand
Cite this Entry
“Stand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stand. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
stand
1 of 2 verb
stood
ˈstu̇d
; standing
; standing
1
a
: to support oneself on the feet in an erect position
b
: to be a specified height when fully erect
stands six feet two
c
: to rise to one's feet
2
: to take up and keep a usually specified position or attitude
stand aside
can you stand on your head
where do we stand on this question
3
: to be in a particular state or situation
stands accused
4
chiefly British
: to be a candidate : run
5
a
: to have a relative position in or as if in a scale
stands first in the class
b
: to be in a position to gain or lose
stands to make a profit
6
a
: to rest, remain, or set upright on a base or lower end
a ladder standing against a wall
b
: to occupy a place or location
a house standing on a hill
7
a
: to remain without moving
rainwater standing in stagnant pools
b
: to remain in effect
the order stands
8
: to exist in a certain form
you must take or leave our offer as it stands
9
a
: to put up with or resist successfully : bear
stand pain
the building stood the pressure of the storm
this book will stand the test of time
b
: to derive benefit or enjoyment from
you look like you could stand some sleep
c
: to go through the experience of
stand trial
10
: to perform the duty of
stand guard
11
: to pay for
I'll stand dinner
12
: to cause to stand : set upright
stander
noun
stand
2 of 2 noun1
: an act or instance of stopping or staying in one place
2
a
: a halt for defense or resistance
b
: a stop made to give a performance
was booked for a three-night stand
3
a
: a place or post where one stands
b
: a position especially with respect to an issue
took a stand against higher taxes
4
a
: the place occupied by a witness testifying in court
b
: a row of seats for spectators of an outdoor sport or spectacle
c
: a raised platform (as for a speaker)
5
: a small often open-air structure for a small retail business
a hot-dog stand
6
: a support (as a rack or table) on or in which something may be placed
umbrella stands
a bicycle stand
7
: a group of plants growing in a continuous area
a good stand of wheat
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