stand·out
ˈstand-ˌau̇t 
often attributive
: one that is prominent or conspicuous especially because of excellence
stood out; standing out; stands out
1
a
: to appear as if in relief : project
b
: to be prominent or conspicuous
stands out from the crowd
2
: to steer away from shore
3
: to be stubborn in resolution or resistance
Synonyms
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
Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Apr. 2024
Seeing a crudo dish on any menu these days isn’t unusual, but the hamachi with white ponzu, serrano and garlic oil is a standout, as is the show stopping lobster risotto, made with sushi rice instead of the usual arborio.
—Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2024
And though the market is saturated with brands selling flattering silhouettes made with comfortable, stretchy fabrics, one brand has remained a standout since its founding in 1998.
—Cai Cramer, Peoplemag, 19 Apr. 2024
The countdown is on for the 2024 NFL Draft, and several Missouri Tigers standouts are patiently awaiting to see if their names get called.
—Maddie Hartley, Kansas City Star, 19 Apr. 2024
Julian Works is the standout among the Mustangs, to a large degree because his character is the only one of the youths who has more than two dimensions.
—Joe Leydon, Variety, 12 Apr. 2024
Amanda’s seafood was the standout of the two, with Colicchio saying Dan’s tuile was salty and leek undercooked.
—Rachel Bernhard, Journal Sentinel, 10 Apr. 2024
Clark has been a standout since her arrival at Iowa four years ago, leading the Hawkeyes to the Sweet 16 as a freshman while being unanimously named Big 10 Freshman of the Year and first-team All-Big Ten.
—Rob Wile, NBC News, 6 Apr. 2024
Among the standouts on the unstoppable team is Caitlin Clark, who made history as the all-time leading scorer in NCAA women's basketball during the game that saw Iowa’s 106-89 victory over Michigan on Feb. 15 this year.
—Skyler Caruso, Peoplemag, 2 Apr. 2024
Paul Egan, Detroit Free Press, 20 Apr. 2024
What stands out to me is that the Warriors had the firepower and the offense to build the lead.
—Jannelle Moore, The Mercury News, 20 Apr. 2024
Popular on Variety Upon a deep dive into the new tracks’ lyrics, a few songs stood out.
—Emily Longeretta, Variety, 19 Apr. 2024
Combined, these cosmic rarities stood out to scientists.
—Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Apr. 2024
But even a broken clock is right twice a day, and amidst all those duds, a few gems have stood out.
—Ej Dickson, Rolling Stone, 18 Apr. 2024
And Michelle’s coconut bread pudding stood out as a classic supper club dessert — even if most of the judges would’ve liked a bit more of its pineapple cream sauce.
—Rachel Bernhard, Journal Sentinel, 17 Apr. 2024
What were some findings that stood out to you that illustrate these collective wounds for people living in Gaza?
—Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Apr. 2024
Even in a city that has seen many celebrity trials, this one stands out, said former Manhattan prosecutor Duncan Levin.
—Graham Kates, CBS News, 5 Apr. 2024
Noun
The menu shifts seasonally but standouts have included rutabaga and pink radishes layered with garlic cream, almond, harissa, and thinly sliced scallops, as well as a celery and mushroom consommé-congee mashup, sprinkled with a few comestible flowers.
—Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Apr. 2024
Seeing a crudo dish on any menu these days isn’t unusual, but the hamachi with white ponzu, serrano and garlic oil is a standout, as is the show stopping lobster risotto, made with sushi rice instead of the usual arborio.
—Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2024
And though the market is saturated with brands selling flattering silhouettes made with comfortable, stretchy fabrics, one brand has remained a standout since its founding in 1998.
—Cai Cramer, Peoplemag, 19 Apr. 2024
The countdown is on for the 2024 NFL Draft, and several Missouri Tigers standouts are patiently awaiting to see if their names get called.
—Maddie Hartley, Kansas City Star, 19 Apr. 2024
Julian Works is the standout among the Mustangs, to a large degree because his character is the only one of the youths who has more than two dimensions.
—Joe Leydon, Variety, 12 Apr. 2024
Amanda’s seafood was the standout of the two, with Colicchio saying Dan’s tuile was salty and leek undercooked.
—Rachel Bernhard, Journal Sentinel, 10 Apr. 2024
Clark has been a standout since her arrival at Iowa four years ago, leading the Hawkeyes to the Sweet 16 as a freshman while being unanimously named Big 10 Freshman of the Year and first-team All-Big Ten.
—Rob Wile, NBC News, 6 Apr. 2024
Among the standouts on the unstoppable team is Caitlin Clark, who made history as the all-time leading scorer in NCAA women's basketball during the game that saw Iowa’s 106-89 victory over Michigan on Feb. 15 this year.
—Skyler Caruso, Peoplemag, 2 Apr. 2024
Verb
For years, transparency advocates noted Michigan stood out as a national outlier as one of two states without any financial disclosure requirement, leaving voters in the dark about potential conflicts of interest.
—Paul Egan, Detroit Free Press, 20 Apr. 2024
What stands out to me is that the Warriors had the firepower and the offense to build the lead.
—Jannelle Moore, The Mercury News, 20 Apr. 2024
Popular on Variety Upon a deep dive into the new tracks’ lyrics, a few songs stood out.
—Emily Longeretta, Variety, 19 Apr. 2024
Combined, these cosmic rarities stood out to scientists.
—Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Apr. 2024
But even a broken clock is right twice a day, and amidst all those duds, a few gems have stood out.
—Ej Dickson, Rolling Stone, 18 Apr. 2024
And Michelle’s coconut bread pudding stood out as a classic supper club dessert — even if most of the judges would’ve liked a bit more of its pineapple cream sauce.
—Rachel Bernhard, Journal Sentinel, 17 Apr. 2024
What were some findings that stood out to you that illustrate these collective wounds for people living in Gaza?
—Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Apr. 2024
Even in a city that has seen many celebrity trials, this one stands out, said former Manhattan prosecutor Duncan Levin.
—Graham Kates, CBS News, 5 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'standout.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Standout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/standout. Accessed 28 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids 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
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