as in keeps (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 stands by
Dickinson was surprised to hear it multiple times, but stands by the sentiment.
—
Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 29 Apr. 2026
Her very reliable and efficient assistant Eunice (Seoyeon Jang) stands by her side but curries the jealous attention of unstable Ashley.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2026
Walter stands by his pledge, Dodgers president Stan Kasten said.
—Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2026
Daisy stands by, literally helpless.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 3 Feb. 2026
Associate commerce director Lori Keong stands by the notion that jewelry is a disappointment-proof gift.
—Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 21 Jan. 2026
And amazingly, LaFleur stands by his decision to kick a field to this day.
—Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 18 Jan. 2026
The entire institution stands by those freedoms and our work.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 14 Jan. 2026
In the background, a man stands by, carrying tissues for Itsaragrisil.
—Staff Author, PEOPLE, 7 Nov. 2025
Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 29 Apr. 2026
Her very reliable and efficient assistant Eunice (Seoyeon Jang) stands by her side but curries the jealous attention of unstable Ashley.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2026
Walter stands by his pledge, Dodgers president Stan Kasten said.
—Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2026
Daisy stands by, literally helpless.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 3 Feb. 2026
Associate commerce director Lori Keong stands by the notion that jewelry is a disappointment-proof gift.
—Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 21 Jan. 2026
And amazingly, LaFleur stands by his decision to kick a field to this day.
—Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 18 Jan. 2026
The entire institution stands by those freedoms and our work.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 14 Jan. 2026
In the background, a man stands by, carrying tissues for Itsaragrisil.
—Staff Author, PEOPLE, 7 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stands by
defends
Verb
-
He-Man is typically shown to be the alter ego of Prince Adam of the planet Eternia, who defends the secrets of Castle Grayskull, as well as the rest of Eternia, from the forces of the antagonist Skeletor.—
Sanat Pai RaikarAll,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
4 May 2026
-
No side that defends this badly from front to back can hope for European qualification through the Premier League next season, and humiliation against Manchester City in the FA Cup final looks a far likelier outcome than a palate-cleansing triumph.—
Simon Johnson,
New York Times,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stands by.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stands%20by. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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