as in flies
to withstand scrutiny and gain acceptance or approval
a hypothesis that won't stand up to close analysis
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Recent Examples of stands up
In front of a large crowd, the rapper stands up before launching into a song.
—
Dan Raby, CBS News, 13 Apr. 2026
Ivan Reitman One of the most beloved movies of all time, the original Ghostbusters still stands up as the best in the series … by far.
—Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 11 Apr. 2026
Elphaba stands up against the corrupt Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) while the frenemies evolve their relationship and sing a lot in an unexpectedly relevant fantasy flick about standing up for what’s right.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 27 Mar. 2026
After a minute, Sarah stands up, red-faced.
—Gerald Witt, AJC.com, 1 Mar. 2026
Equipped with an anti-theft ReturnMe tag, chair-lock loop, and RFID protection, this ergonomic travel bag stands up to sneaky pickpockets.
—Destinee Scott, Travel + Leisure, 23 Feb. 2026
The paddles seem to really make a difference in aeration to get foam that stands up.
—Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 2 Oct. 2025
Joining Rapp in his intellectual group, Adam Goldberg's Mike Newhouse nevertheless gets into a scuffle during the moon tower party but ultimately stands up for himself.
—Kate Hogan, PEOPLE, 24 Sep. 2025
But, to his credit, rather than turn against Kat, Dale stands up for her.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2025
Dan Raby, CBS News, 13 Apr. 2026
Ivan Reitman One of the most beloved movies of all time, the original Ghostbusters still stands up as the best in the series … by far.
—Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 11 Apr. 2026
Elphaba stands up against the corrupt Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) while the frenemies evolve their relationship and sing a lot in an unexpectedly relevant fantasy flick about standing up for what’s right.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 27 Mar. 2026
After a minute, Sarah stands up, red-faced.
—Gerald Witt, AJC.com, 1 Mar. 2026
Equipped with an anti-theft ReturnMe tag, chair-lock loop, and RFID protection, this ergonomic travel bag stands up to sneaky pickpockets.
—Destinee Scott, Travel + Leisure, 23 Feb. 2026
The paddles seem to really make a difference in aeration to get foam that stands up.
—Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 2 Oct. 2025
Joining Rapp in his intellectual group, Adam Goldberg's Mike Newhouse nevertheless gets into a scuffle during the moon tower party but ultimately stands up for himself.
—Kate Hogan, PEOPLE, 24 Sep. 2025
But, to his credit, rather than turn against Kat, Dale stands up for her.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stands up
Verb
-
The bee that flies alone gets swatted, or at least turned into a necklace at some rich lady’s garden party.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
17 Apr. 2026
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But, Wiseman stressed, the blame doesn't lie with the toilet itself, which is a more compact version of the loo that flies on the International Space Station.—
Mike Wall,
Space.com,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The easy-on, easy-off design is a win for airport security, while the sporty silhouette works with everything from jeans and sweatpants to even skirts.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
21 Apr. 2026
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There’s no set price—that’s how dynamic pricing works.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
If the line holds up and Kohl and Gaines are as good as advertised, the Panthers could be dangerous.—
Walter Villa,
Miami Herald,
3 Apr. 2026
-
One notable feature is the hidden bit storage compartment, which includes a magnetic base that holds up to four standard S2 bits for a total of six in the entire multitool – the original Joat stored just two.—
Maryna Holovnova,
New Atlas,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stands up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stands%20up. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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