outstanding
Americanadjective
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prominent; conspicuous; striking.
an outstanding example of courage.
- Synonyms:
- eminent
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marked by superiority or distinction; excellent; distinguished.
an outstanding student.
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continuing in existence; remaining unsettled, unpaid, etc..
outstanding debts.
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(of securities and the like) publicly issued and sold or in circulation.
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standing out; projecting.
a stiff, outstanding fabric.
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Archaic. that resists or opposes.
adjective
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superior; excellent; distinguished
-
prominent, remarkable, or striking
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still in existence; unsettled, unpaid, or unresolved
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(of shares, bonds, etc) issued and sold
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projecting or jutting upwards or outwards
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of outstanding
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.
Vocabulary lists containing outstanding
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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.
Raman led Pratt by 21,819 votes, 229,576 to 207,757, elections officials reported Monday evening, with an estimated 148,100 votes countywide still outstanding.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026
Jersey Netball president Linda Andrews said Guthrie was "an outstanding ambassador for the island".
From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026
Tencent says it currently has an aggregate principal amount of US$17.51 billion in outstanding notes under the program.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026
Zealand Pharma said it is eligible for high single to low double-digit percentage royalties on global sales of survodutide and 315 million euros in potential outstanding milestone payments.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 8, 2026
Later that year came the award ceremony for the Comstock Prize, given every five years by the National Academy of Sciences for outstanding work in physics.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
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.
