as in keeping (to)
to give steadfast support to
no matter how much people object, I will stand by my decision
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Recent Examples of standing by
After month of standing by Ruemmler, Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon accepted his general counsel’s resignation last week.
—
Matt Egan, CNN Money, 18 Feb. 2026
The portrait of the Prince and the trafficking victim—his hand on her waist; her heartbreaking smile—with Maxwell, the human factor, standing by, will always be the defining image of the Royal Family’s involvement in the Epstein case.
—Sam Knight, New Yorker, 16 Feb. 2026
Holiday Inn Express is also standing by the free breakfast bar.
—Kevin Williams, CNBC, 15 Feb. 2026
The depiction of female shopkeepers and mothers, punctuated by women like me standing by concrete building blocks, underscores our importance as memory keepers within a society that has often needed rebuilding.
—Lara N. Dotson-Renta, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2026
On Tuesday, the company again reiterated that Larry Ellison is personally standing by to guarantee $43 billion covering the financing of the deal.
—Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 10 Feb. 2026
Marc Anthony is standing by his friends David and Victoria Beckham, amid the drama with their son Brooklyn.
—Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Feb. 2026
Even amid the latest scandal surrounding their parents, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson, following the most recent tranche of the Epstein files, a new report indicates that Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie are still standing by their father and mother.
—Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 9 Feb. 2026
National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell is standing by Bad Bunny’s upcoming performance at the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show this Sunday.
—Asher Notheis, The Washington Examiner, 3 Feb. 2026
Matt Egan, CNN Money, 18 Feb. 2026
The portrait of the Prince and the trafficking victim—his hand on her waist; her heartbreaking smile—with Maxwell, the human factor, standing by, will always be the defining image of the Royal Family’s involvement in the Epstein case.
—Sam Knight, New Yorker, 16 Feb. 2026
Holiday Inn Express is also standing by the free breakfast bar.
—Kevin Williams, CNBC, 15 Feb. 2026
The depiction of female shopkeepers and mothers, punctuated by women like me standing by concrete building blocks, underscores our importance as memory keepers within a society that has often needed rebuilding.
—Lara N. Dotson-Renta, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2026
On Tuesday, the company again reiterated that Larry Ellison is personally standing by to guarantee $43 billion covering the financing of the deal.
—Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 10 Feb. 2026
Marc Anthony is standing by his friends David and Victoria Beckham, amid the drama with their son Brooklyn.
—Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Feb. 2026
Even amid the latest scandal surrounding their parents, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson, following the most recent tranche of the Epstein files, a new report indicates that Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie are still standing by their father and mother.
—Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 9 Feb. 2026
National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell is standing by Bad Bunny’s upcoming performance at the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show this Sunday.
—Asher Notheis, The Washington Examiner, 3 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for standing by
defending
Verb
-
The Olympics soon will be without Sweden’s defending champion men’s team, which was officially eliminated from semifinal contention on Tuesday after a sixth loss in seven matches in round-robin play.—
Steve Douglas,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Feb. 2026
-
The Riverside native and Santa Monica High graduate went on to win five consecutive fights defending her title and becoming a global superstar along the way.—
Brian Martin,
Oc Register,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Standing by.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/standing%20by. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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