as in to keep (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
as in anchor
something or someone to which one looks for support
our old standby in times of trouble
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 stand by
Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 11 July 2025
Noem still stands by her calls to axe the agency, but also says it should be recreated.
—Cate Martel - 07, The Hill, 11 July 2025
Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
Five alternate jurors are also on standby in case they're needed to fill in on the main jury.
—CBS News, 1 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for stand by
Verb
Throughout all of this, Hailey has consistently stood by her man.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 11 July 2025
Noem still stands by her calls to axe the agency, but also says it should be recreated.
—Cate Martel - 07, The Hill, 11 July 2025
Noun
And maybe keep a good, reliable mechanic on standby.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
Five alternate jurors are also on standby in case they're needed to fill in on the main jury.
—CBS News, 1 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for stand by
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stand by
Noun
-
Mesa Economic Development Director Jaye O’Donnell said Macerich, the owner of the mall but not all of the anchor stores, has expressed interest in adding new shopping and restaurants in and around the mall site.—
Corina Vanek,
AZCentral.com,
23 July 2025
-
These include fold-down aft bulwarks that enlarge the beach club area when at anchor (a feature first seen on the GTX 80) and a vertically sliding glass partition that separates the aft deck seating area from the interior bar and galley.—
Julia Zaltzman,
Robb Report,
23 July 2025
Noun
-
Over time, those pages formed the backbone of four books.—
Farshad Asl,
Forbes.com,
22 July 2025
-
From Andratx to Pollença, the Serra de Tramuntana forms the northern backbone of Mallorca.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
21 July 2025
Noun
-
This helped transform the instrument, typically associated with Sunday church services, into a mainstay of contemporary pop instrumentation.—
Paul Grein,
Billboard,
14 July 2025
-
Today, with the S&P 500 Index funds a mainstay, such a shift could last a long time.—
John S. Tobey,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
Noun
-
More broadly, Trump has been pressuring tech giants to expand their US operations in a bid to bring back US manufacturing, create jobs and reduce reliance on China for tech production, although experts have been skeptical that such efforts will be successful.—
Lisa Eadicicco,
CNN Money,
23 July 2025
-
The move builds on CJ ENM’s growing ties with Saudi Arabia, which has become the Middle East and North Africa’s fastest growing media and entertainment market in the wake of its opening up in 2017 as part of its 2030 strategy moving the economy away from a reliance on oil.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
23 July 2025
Verb
-
Mark was disappointed, but the poster defended himself, saying he’s helped before and didn’t want to be taken for granted.—
Ashley Vega,
People.com,
27 July 2025
-
And the reason is simple: Indy is a track where the Hendrick cars are always strong, with Larson being the defending race winner.—
Jeff Gluck,
New York Times,
26 July 2025
Noun
-
According to the brand, fewer than 10% of women are backed by sponsors, and the You Sponsored initiative was created to award 10 women custom deals to amplify their dreams across three pillars: opportunity (the recipients will receive $20,000 in funding), connections and visibility.—
Catherine Santino,
People.com,
19 July 2025
-
Hendrix’s towering and well-maintained monument includes a stone dome with pillars, a giant steel guitar and a portrait of him etched in granite.—
Suzette Hackney,
USA Today,
19 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stand by.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stand%20by. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share