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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stand by
Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 12 June 2026
The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline has people standing by 24/7 in English and in Spanish for text or voice calls at 988.
—Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 12 June 2026
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026
Rescue boats from the Romney and Springfield fire departments were used to transport everyone safely to a nearby cabin, while additional boats remained on standby in case conditions worsened or more assistance was needed.
—Paloma Chavez, PEOPLE, 26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for stand by
Verb
But it was immediately denied by judges, paving the way for the president's name to be removed from the building as a crowd of onlookers stood by to watch workers do the job.
—Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 12 June 2026
The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline has people standing by 24/7 in English and in Spanish for text or voice calls at 988.
—Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 12 June 2026
Noun
Shiny black cars and mountain bikes are on standby to purr you down a three-mile country road to the Beach Club, where the mood is even more drowsy and low-key (though kids and alpha males will enjoy messing about with the paddleboards, windsurfers, and other non-motorised water-sports).
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026
Rescue boats from the Romney and Springfield fire departments were used to transport everyone safely to a nearby cabin, while additional boats remained on standby in case conditions worsened or more assistance was needed.
—Paloma Chavez, PEOPLE, 26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for stand by
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stand by
Verb
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That particularly could be annoying to Uruguay supporters, given Messi’s stature in the sport overall and in particular with defending champion Argentina, La Celeste’s biggest rival.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
16 June 2026
-
Fans debated score predictions, discussed players and shared hopes that Algeria could upset the defending world champions.—
J.M. Banks
June 15,
Kansas City Star,
16 June 2026
Noun
-
Nine people, including former CNN anchor Don Lemon, were initially arrested with 30 more later indicted on federal charges in connection with the incident.—
Marc Ramirez,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
-
Longtime on-air anchor Glen Walker is making his way back to broadcast news in Los Angeles.—
Cerys Davies,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
Reading people’s intentions and forming relationships is still the backbone of successful recruiting.—
Steven Johnson
June 16,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
16 June 2026
-
Congress is starting to get a little bit of a backbone and put some funding back into getting good, solid, basic science going.—
Jeanna Bryner,
Scientific American,
16 June 2026
Noun
-
It is said that a stack of books was a mainstay on his bedside table in the White House.—
Laura Washington,
Chicago Tribune,
14 June 2026
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And there had been the waiting game for Aho and Svechnikov — two roster mainstays in an eight-year postseason run — to find a better offensive groove.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2026
Noun
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The country with the second largest portion of companies on the list is France, which is one of the leading renewable energy producers and sustainability innovators in the EU with a €240 million plan unveiled in April to further reduce its fossil fuel reliance.—
Charlotte Hu,
Time,
9 June 2026
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Dart’s reliance on underneath throws for minimal completions, some inside throws into traffic and plenty of downfield misses — like an overthrow of Fields in one-on-one coverage against rookie corner Colton Hood — create plenty of reason for urgency from John Harbaugh and the Giants.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
9 June 2026
Noun
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The lifecycle pillar then operationalizes governance through requirements covering model selection, data quality, explainability, performance monitoring, human oversight, cybersecurity, and third-party risk.—
Mayra Rodriguez Valladares,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
-
When constructed, the stone circle was aligned with the sun, and to this day, thousands of people gather to witness the moment the sun peeks perfectly through its pillars.—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
14 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stand by.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stand%20by. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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