as in anchors
something or someone to which one looks for support
our old standby in times of trouble
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of standbys
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
Roadside spots serve up standbys like barbecue and the national dish of fish and fungi.
—Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 7 Feb. 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
The old standbys are still there.
—Miami Herald, 19 Dec. 2025
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
Roadside spots serve up standbys like barbecue and the national dish of fish and fungi.
—Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 7 Feb. 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
The old standbys are still there.
—Miami Herald, 19 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for standbys
Noun
-
Across its news programs on television, digital and streaming, the award-winning team of anchors and correspondents delivers the latest breaking news, on-the-ground reporting and in-depth analysis on the most important issues impacting Latinos.—
Armando Tinoco,
Deadline,
7 May 2026
-
Once the most powerful jobs in television, evening anchors like Tony Dokoupil now occupy a more symbolic perch.—
Alex Weprin,
HollywoodReporter,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
Deviled eggs and potato salad are two undeniable Southern mainstays.—
Brennan Long,
Southern Living,
9 May 2026
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Canada’s opener the following day in Toronto reportedly leans into national pride with Canadian mainstays Bublé, Morissette and Alessia Cara expected to perform before Canada takes on Bosnia & Herzegovina.—
SPIN Staff,
SPIN,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
As songwriters, the Ottavianos usually only needed a metaphor, a single beautiful image, or a fun double entendre to serve as narrative backbones.—
Billie Bugara,
Pitchfork,
26 Apr. 2026
-
There's also a perception that squishy invertebrates — creatures without backbones — weren't formidable enough to join the ranks of top predators.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Alongside schools and transportation, public safety is one of the foundational pillars of a strong and growing county.—
Nick Stewart,
Baltimore Sun,
9 May 2026
-
Give me 20 ideas across my content pillars of [list 3-4 themes].—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Standbys.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/standbys. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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