STOOD BY Synonyms: 72 Similar and Opposite Words

stood by

verb

past tense of stand by

as in kept (to)

to give steadfast support to no matter how much people object, I will stand by my decision

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of stood by The music star's support of Kelce at this year's event comes less than two weeks after Kelce stood by Swift's side as she was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame Class of 2026 in New York City on June 11. —

ABC News, 24 June 2026 Meanwhile, Aaron Boone stood by with the same type of facial expression a father makes when their kid does something foolish. —

Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 19 June 2026 Dorothea has stood by the Grammy winner's side throughout his career's highs and lows, from the band's launch to fame with 1986's Slippery When Wet to his vocal cord issues in 2022. —

Jeff Nelson, PEOPLE, 18 June 2026 The honeymoon was brief — just ask former Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly — and a decade later, through years of public dressings-down, the network has stood by its man as an unprecedented retooling of Republican values unfolded. —

Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 18 June 2026 Both Hentges and Roupp said there was no hate in their decisions to wear the hats, but stood by them in separate interviews, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. —

Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 17 June 2026 The lawsuit claims a correctional officer assigned to protect the woman stood by as an inmate followed her into a freezer and pulled a weapon. —

Zach Boetto, CBS News, 13 June 2026 But it was immediately denied by judges, paving the way for the president's name to be removed from the building as a crowd of onlookers stood by to watch workers do the job. —

Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 12 June 2026 Collins stood by Phillips, before finally cutting ties in May over an inflammatory social media post targeting a staffer in Dooley’s campaign. —

Shannon McCaffrey, AJC.com, 10 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for stood by

defended

Verb

So far, Milei has defended his Cabinet chief, even as the scandal damaged his government’s public image, constrained his political leverage in negotiations with allies and undermined his communication about spending cuts to Argentines scraping by on salaries that increasingly fall behind inflation.

— Clara Preve, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2026
Legal counsel for the Department of Homeland Security defended the administration's actions, citing the long-standing effort to terminate the program.

— Joan Murray, CBS News, 27 June 2026