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
Still, crew chief Tony Brothers stands by his poor officiating.
—
Bobby Burack Outkick, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026
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
Bobby Burack Outkick, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stands by
defends
Verb
-
The city attorney reviews and approves contracts and ordinances for legal compliance, defends the city against lawsuits, and brings civil lawsuits on behalf of the city.—
The Editorial Board,
Daily News,
20 May 2026
-
But the Lakers would have been in a tough spot without Smart this season, a player who still defends multiple positions at a high level and has a knack for making critical plays on both ends.—
Law Murray,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stands by.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stands%20by. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
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