as in anchors
something or someone to which one looks for support
our old standby in times of trouble
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 standbys
Old standbys have been reborn, too.
—
Staff Author, Travel + Leisure, 8 June 2026
While the appetite for $500-per-person omakase may be cooling slightly, Indian and Levantine spots are as in-demand as the city’s classic steakhouses and French and Italian standbys.
—Beth Landman, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026
At last month’s Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim — one of the world’s largest food trade shows — old standbys finding fresh roles and unexpected places to shine was the buzz.
—David Dickstein, Oc Register, 22 Apr. 2026
Spring’s touring theater productions are a mix of old standbys and new shows.
—Scott Hocker, TheWeek, 18 Mar. 2026
Prep school standbys were seen across the runways for spring 2026, and are now trickling into transitional outerwear looks, with the help of a major wardrobe hero piece.
—Kristina Rutkowski, Vogue, 17 Mar. 2026
Readers chose plenty of old standbys, but a few impressive upstarts are also on the hot list.
—Robert F. Moss, Southern Living, 12 Mar. 2026
This striking crimson suit is one of the princess’s standbys for significant events.
—Erin Vanderhoof, Vanity Fair, 16 Jan. 2026
To make the look seasonally apropos, put thought into color, pattern, and material; designs that incorporate warm-weather standbys like pastels, florals, and chiffon are always good ideas.
—Alison Syrett Cleary, Glamour, 6 Jan. 2026
Staff Author, Travel + Leisure, 8 June 2026
While the appetite for $500-per-person omakase may be cooling slightly, Indian and Levantine spots are as in-demand as the city’s classic steakhouses and French and Italian standbys.
—Beth Landman, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026
At last month’s Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim — one of the world’s largest food trade shows — old standbys finding fresh roles and unexpected places to shine was the buzz.
—David Dickstein, Oc Register, 22 Apr. 2026
Spring’s touring theater productions are a mix of old standbys and new shows.
—Scott Hocker, TheWeek, 18 Mar. 2026
Prep school standbys were seen across the runways for spring 2026, and are now trickling into transitional outerwear looks, with the help of a major wardrobe hero piece.
—Kristina Rutkowski, Vogue, 17 Mar. 2026
Readers chose plenty of old standbys, but a few impressive upstarts are also on the hot list.
—Robert F. Moss, Southern Living, 12 Mar. 2026
This striking crimson suit is one of the princess’s standbys for significant events.
—Erin Vanderhoof, Vanity Fair, 16 Jan. 2026
To make the look seasonally apropos, put thought into color, pattern, and material; designs that incorporate warm-weather standbys like pastels, florals, and chiffon are always good ideas.
—Alison Syrett Cleary, Glamour, 6 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for standbys
Noun
-
Live coverage on Fox News Channel kicks off Wednesday, June 24th and concludes on Sunday, July 5th, with correspondents and anchors stationed at the National Mall, Liberty State Park, Philadelphia, Mount Rushmore and Teddy Roosevelt’s Presidential Library, among others venues.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
16 June 2026
-
Drinking a glass shortly after waking up and another before bed creates simple hydration anchors that can make healthy habits easier to maintain.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
16 June 2026
Noun
-
Chalamet and Stiller were courtside mainstays at Madison Square Garden throughout the postseason.—
Matt Nighswander,
NBC news,
18 June 2026
-
Next season’s cast with Matt Lucas, Richard Ayoade, Chloe Petts, Isy Suttie, and Nina Conti is another lineup of British sitcom stars, panel-show mainstays, and stand-up comedians.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
17 June 2026
Noun
-
Data centers also need to be close enough to users and network backbones to provide fast digital services.—
Sven Bilén,
The Conversation,
16 June 2026
-
Even when degraded, enzymes have stable backbones that might be capable of catalyzing reactions, said Sudha Rajamani, an astrobiologist at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune who wasn’t involved in the study.—
Siddhant Pusdekar,
Quanta Magazine,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
Brick pillars are embedded with bronze plaques listing the players and manager from each of the franchise’s three World Series championship teams.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
22 June 2026
-
Personalized treatments are built around three pillars—energetic renewal, conscious longevity, and stress management—and integrated with the landscape and architecture of the property and the regional cuisine.—
Rachel Ingram,
Robb Report,
21 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Standbys.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/standbys. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
