stand in 1 of 2

verb

Definition of stand innext
as in to substitute
to serve as a replacement usually for a time only she will be standing in for the regular teacher for a week

Synonyms & Similar Words

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stand-in

2 of 2

noun

ˈstand-ˌin How to pronounce stand-in (audio)
as in substitute
a person or thing that takes the place of another hired him at the last minute as a stand-in for the person who quit

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 in
Verb
The album cover, shot by Adam Alonzo, features Stella underneath the amber glow of a lamp, standing in her bathroom. — Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 6 Oct. 2026 Often, Shawn would stand in the doorway of his bedroom and watch the stranger eat off a tray balanced on his lap, arranging each mouthful of food on his spoon with great deliberation before bringing it to his mouth. — Rachel Heng, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026
Noun
Socrates is drinking a cup of Froot Loops, a toxic stand-in for the hemlock the philosopher drank. — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 18 Sep. 2026 While the original movie used Washington State's Whidbey Island as a stand-in for New England, production for the sequel moved to the United Kingdom. — Alex Jhamb Burns, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for stand in
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stand in
  1. substitute
  2. replacement
  3. fill in
  4. step in
  5. take over
Verb
  • If that doesn’t happen, the district will have to substitute equivalent cuts elsewhere.
    — Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Even a few tweaks on the experiment to substitute the heavy water for a layer of graphite would have failed, given the purity of the materials available.
    — Mike McRae October 06, New Atlas, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of substitute
Noun
  • At Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, its flagship, Anthem’s broad-network plan pays almost $100,000 for a major joint replacement, compared with $28,000 from Medicare.
    — Bob Herman, STAT, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Two visions of Social Security Boccia’s argument was that Social Security has become an expensive wage-replacement system that sends its largest benefits to people most capable of providing for themselves.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of replacement
Verb
  • By filling in those gaps at the time of retrieval with the most likely possibility, your memory system can actually be quicker and be more flexible and work online in a timely manner.
    — Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 3 Oct. 2026
  • An only child in a home filled in equal parts by silence and books, Laura was grateful for a friend.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of fill in
Verb
  • Now, that’s been shown to be behind other communities on new development, then the city must step in.
    — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 4 Oct. 2026
  • His oldest sister stepped in, made his meals and went to school and doctor appointments with him.
    — Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of step in
Verb
  • When Maguire is done, Garfield takes over, just as, in Into the Spider-Verse, Miles Morales can take on the role of Spider-Man after Peter Parker’s death.
    — Harmon Siegel, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Citing sources familiar with the matter, the paper reported that Goldman’s board has discussed a plan for Waldron to take over after Solomon’s eight-year run as chief executive.
    — Morgan Chittum, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of take over

Browse Nearby Words

stand for
stand in
stand-in
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Cite this Entry

“Stand in.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stand%20in. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

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