stand 1 of 2

1
as in to sit
to occupy a place or location the monument stands in the middle of the town plaza

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
3
as in to pay
to give what is owed for I'll stand lunch, and you can pay me back later

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

4
as in to be
to take or have a certain position within a group arranged in vertical classes if the city's baseball team wins today, they will stand first in the league

Synonyms & Similar Words

stand

2 of 2

noun

as in podium
a level usually raised surface marchers passed by the reviewing stand

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb stand differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of stand are abide, bear, endure, suffer, and tolerate. While all these words mean "to put up with something trying or painful," stand emphasizes even more strongly the ability to bear without discomposure or flinching.

unable to stand teasing

When is abide a more appropriate choice than stand?

Although the words abide and stand have much in common, abide suggests acceptance without resistance or protest.

cannot abide their rudeness

When can bear be used instead of stand?

The synonyms bear and stand are sometimes interchangeable, but bear usually implies the power to sustain without flinching or breaking.

forced to bear a tragic loss

In what contexts can endure take the place of stand?

While the synonyms endure and stand are close in meaning, endure implies continuing firm or resolute through trials and difficulties.

endured years of rejection

When could suffer be used to replace stand?

The meanings of suffer and stand largely overlap; however, suffer often suggests acceptance or passivity rather than courage or patience in bearing.

suffering many insults

When might tolerate be a better fit than stand?

In some situations, the words tolerate and stand are roughly equivalent. However, tolerate suggests overcoming or successfully controlling an impulse to resist, avoid, or resent something injurious or distasteful.

refused to tolerate such treatment

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of stand
Verb
The effort stands as the only perfect game in Dodgers history. Doug Padilla, Oc Register, 10 Sep. 2025 The main road is one lane, and the level of toxins that surround my little hamlet of standing houses is very worrisome. Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
While there's no cash prize — just a coveted glass cake stand — many of the winners have gone on to write bestselling cookbooks and star in their own TV shows. Jane Lacroix, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025 SpaceX sought a similar cadence before Flight 10, but mishaps during Starship's upper stage testing for Ship 36 caused an explosion on the test stand during cryogenic fueling. Josh Dinner, Space.com, 8 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for stand
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stand
Verb
  • The case then sat unsolved for years, until recent advances in forensic genetic DNA technology would become critical to this investigation.
    Claire Lempert, ABC News, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Bonneville, sitting behind her, grabbed her hand for the last 15 minutes and didn’t let go.
    Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Technological development, subjected to the logic of progress, presented itself as a force of chaos that would not tolerate any stable order.
    Tim Brinkhof, Big Think, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Despite the tree’s association with ponds, bald cypress tolerates a range of growing conditions, from somewhat dry soils to standing water.
    Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Social media companies and influencers paid to promote pharmaceutical offerings without proper disclosures will also be targeted by the federal government, according to CNBC, which cited unnamed senior officials.
    Antonio Pequeño IV, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
  • The backslide is worse for Black women, who in 2024 were paid 65 cents for every dollar paid to White men.
    Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Athletique There is something edgy yet soft about a funnel-neck in a technical fabric—lean in and pair a wind- and water-resistant shell with trousers and sneakers for a touch of sport, or style it with a pencil skirt and kitten heels for a more feminine feel.
    Andrea Zendejas, Vogue, 16 Sep. 2025
  • There are multiple ways to use the Hair Steamer, depending on your hair and preferences.
    Megan McIntyre, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • So when Patel approached the podium on Friday the stakes were obviously high.
    Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 13 Sep. 2025
  • Two more from Dennis Mitchell’s elite sprint crew could also cause a podium shake-up.
    Katelyn Hutchison, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The accompanying image of Jîna lying unconscious in a hospital bed, with a swollen face, tubes coming out of her mouth, and dried blood on her ears, went viral.
    Fatemeh Jamalpour, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Compare the look of the Notification Center in iOS 26 and macOS 26—the iOS 26 bubbles really do have the appearance of thin sheets of lightly frosted glass, where the macOS bubbles just give you the vaguest impression of what's lying underneath them.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 15 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • United recently endured its worst ever finish to a Premier League season and already in this campaign, Ruben Amorim’s men have suffered a humiliating League Cup defeat to fourth-division Grimsby Town despite the acquisition of expensive new forwards Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Šeško.
    Patrick Snell, CNN Money, 13 Sep. 2025
  • What lies beneath the surface is hardly a starting point for grasping the breadth and enduring impact of each work.
    Natasha Gural, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • An anime about a teenager avenging the deaths of his family at the hands of hordes of carnivorous demons wouldn’t usually be the sort of film which would be met with unanimous praise from critics.
    Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
  • At first, the poster was happy to meet someone new and even adjusted the reservation to make space.
    Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 14 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stand.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stand. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on stand

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!