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Synonyms

outstanding

American  
[out-stan-ding] / ˌaʊtˈstæn dɪŋ /

adjective

  1. prominent; conspicuous; striking.

    an outstanding example of courage.
    Synonyms:
    eminent

  2. marked by superiority or distinction; excellent; distinguished.

    an outstanding student.

  3. continuing in existence; remaining unsettled, unpaid, etc..

    outstanding debts.
    Synonyms:
    due, owing

  4. (of securities and the like) publicly issued and sold or in circulation.

  5. standing out; projecting.

    a stiff, outstanding fabric.

  6. Archaic. that resists or opposes.

outstanding British  
/ ˌaʊtˈstændɪŋ /

adjective

  1. superior; excellent; distinguished

  2. prominent, remarkable, or striking

  3. still in existence; unsettled, unpaid, or unresolved

  4. (of shares, bonds, etc) issued and sold

  5. projecting or jutting upwards or outwards

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • outstandingly adverb
  • outstandingness noun

Etymology

Origin of outstanding

First recorded in 1605–15; outstand + -ing 2

Explanation

Something outstanding stands out for good reasons. Your outstanding presentation captured everyone's attention; unfortunately, so did the tear in the seat of your pants. An outstanding performance of any kind will impress people, but there's one meaning to outstanding that most of us would rather avoid: that which remains unpaid. Outstanding gift ideas can lead to outstanding debt. Your outstanding mood was ruined when you saw the size of your outstanding credit card balance.

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Buybacks aren’t the only factor impacting the number of shares outstanding.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 25, 2026

Last season at USC, Lemon was a consensus All-American and won the Biletnikoff Award for outstanding receiver after making 79 catches for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 24, 2026

“TAVR is an outstanding lifesaving treatment for high-risk and elderly patients, but surgery may be the better choice for low-risk younger patients,” Badhwar said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

The prize is named after painter JMW Turner and awarded annually to a British artist for an outstanding exhibition or other presentation of their work.

From BBC • Apr. 23, 2026

I was never an outstanding far fetcher, and this night I distrusted my own intuitions, being very tired.

From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.