STAND BY Synonyms: 91 Similar and Opposite Words

stand by 1 of 2

verb

Definition of stand by

as in to keep (to)

to give steadfast support to no matter how much people object, I will stand by my decision

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standby

2 of 2

noun

ˈstan(d)-ˌbī

as in anchor

something or someone to which one looks for support our old standby in times of trouble

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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 by

Verb

Allan Hancock College spokesperson Lauren Milbourne said Wednesday afternoon that the college stood by its initial statement of the incident, which said the detainment took place in Parking Lot 2 of the campus. — Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 7 Oct. 2026 Goldman stood by FedEx into earnings, reiterating its buy rating and raising its price target to $390 from $375. — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026

Noun

Formulas packed with oils, butters, and skin-care standbys like hyaluronic acid are always helpful. — Jenny Berg, Vogue, 31 Aug. 2026 Flight standby lets passengers try to take an earlier flight when an unassigned seat becomes available. — Iona Brannon, Travel + Leisure, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for stand by

Recent Examples of Synonyms for stand by

Verb

But as a rookie, Wilson doesn’t plan to abide by that hierarchy.

— Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 26 June 2026
Courts still must abide by their precedents and these three legal pillars if a lawsuit hits their dockets.

— O. Rose Broderick, STAT, 22 June 2026

Definition of abide by

Noun

Sulaeman said that a tanker carrying fuel to Bali suffered an anchor problem while preparing to unload cargo, delaying deliveries to the island’s main fuel terminals.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026
After starting out in Canadian radio in the 1960s, Morrison joined the CTV Network in 1973 as a correspondent, producer and eventually a news anchor.

— Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of anchor

Verb

Reese, Naz Hilman and Madina Okot were held to 28 points combined with Okot scoring 16 – mostly in the fourth quarter.

— Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 25 June 2026
After scoring 14 runs to begin this four-game series, the Royals have been held to just five runs in their last 18 innings.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 25 June 2026

Definition of hold to

Noun

In the Dodgers’ quest for a third straight World Series title, the rotation is going to have to serve as the backbone.

— Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2026
Cryptography forms the backbone of online encryption, used in web browsers, secure messaging and online banking.

— Will Barker, TheWeek, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of backbone

Verb

We grow practiced at defending art by describing its return on investment.

— Philip Martin, Arkansas Online, 13 Oct. 2026
Andrés Zamora, Secuoya Studios’ director of global sales and distribution, said such deals underline the role distribution can play in financing projects, while also forcing producers to defend their position.

— Emiliano de Pablos, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of defend

Noun

Both styles merge the brand mainstays with Anderson’s playful use of the straddle strap detail most commonly used on penny loafers.

— Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 12 Oct. 2026
Over the years, the event has attracted theater mainstays from Lin-Manuel Miranda to Rachel Zegler.

— Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of mainstay

Noun

Rookies step up The iM Securities report said that the profitability of newer bands such as Katseye and Cortis in Western markets will be likely key to reducing the company's reliance on BTS, the report showed.

— Jenny Lee,Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026
PerfectSwell® changes that reliance by making world-class surf possible anywhere.

— Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of reliance

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Style

“Stand by.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stand%20by. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of stand by

verb

noun

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