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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

The arrangement would also require Netanyahu to jettison far-right and ultra-Orthodox allies who stood by him after the attack and through multiple wars and other crises. — Tia Goldenberg, Chicago Tribune, 30 Oct. 2026 Finally, Ricky Turner, the church’s pastor, called him up to stand by the podium. — Emma Green, New Yorker, 29 Oct. 2026

Noun

When your cooler cycles off, S2000 uses only 10W to keep AC ports ready, falling to just 2W in standby with outlets off. — New Atlas, 30 Sep. 2026 CareFlite responded with two EMS units and a supervisor, with a helicopter placed on airborne standby, fire officials said. — Doug Myers, CBS News, 17 Sep. 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

Schools are community anchors and they should be used to benefit the community.

— Willie Wilson, Chicago Tribune, 11 Nov. 2026
And amid it all is the anchor of the precinct, The Calile, an urban resort hotel whose execution feels Aussie but whose ambition and hospitality would work in any major global city.

— Erin Florio, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Nov. 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

Verb

The official also said developing different weapon systems was increasingly urgent, arguing that the country’s armed forces needed to defend national security and deter external threats.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 3 Nov. 2026
The Moon’s square to Uranus favors responding to the new situation instead of defending the original promise.

— Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of defend

Noun

Upon its initial release, the album cemented My Chemical Romance's shift from mainstays of the emo scene to mainstream recognition, becoming one of the most inventive bands of the 21st century.

— ABC News, ABC News, 2 Nov. 2026
No one wants to say goodbye to Chargers mainstay Khalil Mack that way, but the veteran defender should be worth a pretty pick to a contender.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of mainstay

Noun

SpaceX plans to invest around $50 billion in a supercomputing campus in Arizona, using a dry-cooling system designed to reduce the facility’s reliance on water.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 13 Nov. 2026
In 1969, Fannie Lou Hamer, a Black organizer, pioneered land cooperatives in Mississippi to usher in food sovereignty, aiming to curb her Black contemporaries’ increasing reliance on large, sprawling food production systems.

— Jerel Ezell, STAT, 12 Nov. 2026

Definition of reliance

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standards

stand by

standby

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Style

“Stand by.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stand%20by. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of stand by

verb

noun

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