as in anchors
something or someone to which one looks for support
our old standby in times of trouble
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Recent Examples of standbys
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
From classic shirting to the perfect trouser pants, and a bevy of knitwear standbys, get 25% off the entire site, with code ACTHANKSYOU25.
—Kristina Rutkowski, Vogue, 29 Nov. 2025
Old standbys and new treatments Topical minoxidil, also known as Rogaine, is a foam available over-the-counter that lengthens the growth phase of the hair cycle, keeping more hair on the head at any one time.
—Sydney Lupkin, NPR, 23 Nov. 2025
Where The Nun suffered from a complete and utter lack of tension, director Michael Chaves uses some classic horror standbys to build suspense.
—Emily Palmer Heller, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025
Almost always, leadership was divided, with some wanting to move away from old standbys while others argued not to rock the boat.
—Lynn Godfrey, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
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
From classic shirting to the perfect trouser pants, and a bevy of knitwear standbys, get 25% off the entire site, with code ACTHANKSYOU25.
—Kristina Rutkowski, Vogue, 29 Nov. 2025
Old standbys and new treatments Topical minoxidil, also known as Rogaine, is a foam available over-the-counter that lengthens the growth phase of the hair cycle, keeping more hair on the head at any one time.
—Sydney Lupkin, NPR, 23 Nov. 2025
Where The Nun suffered from a complete and utter lack of tension, director Michael Chaves uses some classic horror standbys to build suspense.
—Emily Palmer Heller, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025
Almost always, leadership was divided, with some wanting to move away from old standbys while others argued not to rock the boat.
—Lynn Godfrey, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for standbys
Noun
-
John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois, the co-anchors of evening news, left the company in December.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
28 Jan. 2026
-
End the struggle to remove drywall anchors with this helpful (and unexpected) hack.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Villa were missing John McGinn and Boubacar Kamara, two mainstays of their XI, yet found a way to accommodate their absences.—
Chris Waugh,
New York Times,
26 Jan. 2026
-
The interviewees didn’t mention trans rights, Jeffrey Epstein, or other issues that were mainstays of cable news.—
Charles Duhigg,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Many are Latin American or African immigrants working in the agricultural, tourism or service sectors, backbones of Spain’s booming economy.—
Renata Brito,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Jan. 2026
-
In the economy of tomorrow, community colleges and vocational-technical schools—optimized for true lifelong learning with apprenticeship and mentorship programs—will likely be the backbones of public and private education alike.—
Eric Holcomb,
Time,
16 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
As of last year, more than 140 countries had, in theory, agreed to the pillars.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Rich magenta hues fill the sky as distinct pillars also start to take form.—
Daisy Dobrijevic,
Space.com,
20 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Standbys.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/standbys. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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