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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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

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 by

Verb

The governor stands by his return-to-office mandate that on July 1 brought many state workers to the office four days a week. — Sofia Williams, Sacbee.com, 2 Sep. 2026 Video captured from the drone’s perspective and released on Facebook, shows the frustrated bobcat standing by a staircase, growling and arching its back at the hovering machine. — Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 2 Sep. 2026

Noun

But anyone returning to their old lunchtime standbys is likely to find a different kind of restaurant waiting for them — one that seemingly highlights everything on the menu except traditional salads. — Renée Onque, CNBC, 18 Aug. 2026 Becoming a content creator has officially elbowed out old standbys like doctor and astronaut as the job that Gen Z and Gen Alpha most aspire to have. — Julianna Pillemer, The Conversation, 18 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

The strap anchors between the first two toes with a smooth leather toe post, holding the foot securely while leaving the sides and back of the foot exposed in a classic mule style.

— Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 16 Sep. 2026
Earlier Tuesday evening, NBC4 anchor Colleen Williams said the station had lost contact with its crew.

— Karina Tsui, CNN Money, 16 Sep. 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

Ukraine repeatedly has targeted oil facilities that form the backbone of Russia’s economy, one of the world’s largest energy producers.

— Samya Kullab, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Building the nuclear backbone One focus will be NANO Nuclear’s HALEU transportation systems.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of backbone

Verb

Inputs divided by outputs established a unit-cost baseline that CFOs could optimize, benchmark and defend to the board.

— Hemant Kapadia, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
The Late Show’s last hurrah now that CBS has pulled the plug, giving Colbert one last trophy for a show that won’t be around to defend it next year.

— Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of defend

Noun

The record was chiefly produced by Jepsen mainstay Kyle Shearer, who provides Day and Night‘s most danceable tracks, while Bullion, CJ Baran, Magnus Lidehäll, and more, make appearances too.

— Jaeden Pinder, Rolling Stone, 14 Sep. 2026
The towering silhouette became a mainstay in closets everywhere, becoming a fashion staple for both men and women.

— Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of mainstay

Noun

Once inside, curved cherrywood ceilings and tree-like pillars tower over the tables, booths and bar for a cinematic effect.

— Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
High jewelry, which starts at $50,000 for De Beers London, is the third pillar and one that is pulling more than its weight.

— Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of pillar

Browse Nearby Words

standards

stand by

standby

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Stand by.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stand%20by. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of stand by

verb

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

aggrandize

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Popular in Wordplay

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 18

Popular

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Games & Quizzes