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
Midway through the proceedings, one of Paul’s friends stands up.
—
Zinzi Clemmons, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026
In the video, Jessie, who is wearing a blue bikini, puts one foot on her husband's thigh and the other on his shoulder, hooking it around his neck, and stands up steadily while flashing her arm muscles at the camera.
—Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 31 May 2026
Every generation stands up to serve.
—CBS News, 24 May 2026
The juicy dark meat stands up to the creaminess of the sauce.
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 May 2026
Flowering in vibrant red, purple, or pink blooms (depending on the species), beebalm stands up to four feet tall, making a statement at the back of beds and borders.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 3 May 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
Zinzi Clemmons, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026
In the video, Jessie, who is wearing a blue bikini, puts one foot on her husband's thigh and the other on his shoulder, hooking it around his neck, and stands up steadily while flashing her arm muscles at the camera.
—Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 31 May 2026
Every generation stands up to serve.
—CBS News, 24 May 2026
The juicy dark meat stands up to the creaminess of the sauce.
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 May 2026
Flowering in vibrant red, purple, or pink blooms (depending on the species), beebalm stands up to four feet tall, making a statement at the back of beds and borders.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 3 May 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stands up
Verb
-
American officials are working to expand the use of sterile male screwworm flies to stop the parasites’ spread.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
6 June 2026
-
Time flies, but super exciting.—
Curtis Pashelka,
Mercury News,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
Stiller works the camera courtside.—
Chelsea Stahl,
NBC news,
9 June 2026
-
What kind of web survives the transition The technical question of how AI reads the web is also turning into a question about how the web works when AI is one of its main readers.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
That show really holds up, though.—
Marah Eakin,
Vulture,
28 May 2026
-
The high-strength nylon exterior is impressively durable, and the water-repellent coating holds up against rain, spills, and everyday wear.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
22 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stands up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stands%20up. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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