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stand a chance

Idioms

Have a possibility or a hope of success, as in Do you think Mary stands a chance of finishing the marathon? or I think we stand a fair chance of seeing the Queen arrive at Buckingham Palace. This idiom was first recorded in 1796. Also see not have an earthly chance.

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.

Opposing points of view don’t stand a chance.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 7, 2026

In an AI era when attackers can jiggle every virtual doorknob continuously, human defenders don’t stand a chance.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 19, 2026

Let’s take a closer look at the list to try to assess whether the demands actually stand a chance of making a material difference in how ICE uses—and abuses—its vast power over immigration enforcement.

From Slate • Feb. 19, 2026

Maye had four fumbles and was sacked five times by Houston - he needs to be better than that to stand a chance here.

From BBC • Jan. 20, 2026

He had to hope that if Volta had never truly surrendered to the darkness, then maybe he might stand a chance as well.

From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman

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