stand-up

1 of 3

adjective

1
a
b
: stiffened to stay upright without folding over
a stand-up collar
2
: performed in, performing in, or requiring a standing position
a stand-up bar
especially : of, relating to, performing, or being a monologue of jokes, gags, or satirical comments delivered usually while standing alone on a stage or in front of a camera
stand-up comedy
a stand-up comedian
3
: marked by a high degree of personal integrity or loyalty
a stand-up guy

stand-up

2 of 3

noun

1
: stand-up comedy
also : a performer of such comedy
2
: a television broadcast in which the reporter or narrator faces the camera with the scene of the story in the background

stand up

3 of 3

verb

stood up; standing up; stands up

intransitive verb

1
: to rise to a standing position
2
: to remain sound and intact under stress, attack, or close scrutiny

transitive verb

: to fail to keep an appointment with
Phrases
stand up for
: to defend against attack or criticism
stand up to
1
: to meet fairly and fully
2
: to face boldly
stand up with
: to be best man or maid of honor for at a wedding ceremony

Examples of stand-up in a Sentence

Adjective a real stand-up guy, he's willing to raise the child—by himself if necessary a puppy with stand-up ears Verb a hypothesis that won't stand up to close analysis
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
The powerhouse vocalist, who won Heidi Klum's Golden Buzzer, beat out nine other finalists, including gravity-defying Tanzanian acrobats Hakuna Matata Acrobats, Zimbabwean stand-up comedian Learnmore Jonasi and Japanese dance group AIRFOOTWORKS. Kimi Robinson, USA TODAY, 25 Sep. 2024 The feature, which was published in September 2023, alleged the comedian embellished his stand-up act, including fabricating or exaggerating racist encounters with the FBI and an anthrax scare involving his young daughter. Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 25 Sep. 2024
Noun
In this post-season glow, performing stand-up across the country, the two cast members were about to conjure two of their most popular characters on the show. Andy Hoglund, EW.com, 25 Mar. 2023 Kemp’s infectious smile and, by all accounts, stand-up status as a teammate put him on the list. James Yasko, Chron, 24 Mar. 2023
Verb
After starting out on the piano, the musician stood up and did a flip off a riser to match the song’s signature shift in intensity, looking dapper in a sparkly blue jumpsuit. Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 12 Sep. 2024 Standing for our flag and saluting our soldiers who stood up to defend our country. Melanie Laughman, The Enquirer, 11 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for stand-up 

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

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1749, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Noun

1954, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of stand-up was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near stand-up

Cite this Entry

“Stand-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stand-up. Accessed 4 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

stand up

verb
1
: to rise to a standing position
2
: to remain in good condition
stands up to repeated washings
3
: to fail to keep an appointment with
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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