stand for
Britishverb
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to represent or mean
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to be or become a candidate for
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to support or recommend
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informal to tolerate or bear
he won't stand for any disobedience
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Represent, symbolize, as in The stars and stripes stands for our country . [Early 1600s]
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Advocate, support, uphold, as in The National Writers Union stands for freedom of the press . [c. 1300] Also see stand up for .
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Put up with, tolerate. This usage is generally in a negative context, as in Mother will not stand for rude behavior . [Late 1800s] Also see hold still for .
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stand for something . Have some value or importance, as in She realized that appearances do stand for something . This usage dates from the mid-1800s but was preceded by stand for nothing , meaning “be worthless,” dating from the late 1300s. Also see stand in for .
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.
But it can also be used as a platform to give actual information about who candidates are and what they stand for.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026
On Monday, Grossman’s husband, Dr. Peter Grossman, took the witness stand for a second day.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026
Ubben, whom the company had brought on in 2021 amid the activist campaign, decided not to stand for reelection.
From Barron's • May 27, 2026
A promise for what this country strives to stand for.
From Slate • May 22, 2026
A custodian who later worked under him recalled, “The Warden was strict with the inmates but would never stand for any mistreatment or heckling of them.”
From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann
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.
