- a variation of stanch.
staunch
Americanadjective
-
stauncher,
comparative
-
staunchest
superlative
-
firm or steadfast in principle, adherence, loyalty, etc., as a person.
a staunch Republican; a staunch friend.
-
characterized by firmness, steadfastness, or loyalty.
He delivered a staunch defense of the government.
- Synonyms:
- resolute
-
a staunch little hut in the woods.
-
impervious to water or other liquids; watertight.
a staunch vessel.
adjective
-
loyal, firm, and dependable
a staunch supporter
-
solid or substantial in construction
-
rare (of a ship, etc) watertight; seaworthy
verb
Synonym Usage
See steadfast.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of staunch
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English sta(u)nch, from Middle French estanche (feminine), estanc (masculine), derivative of estancher “to close, stop”; see stanch 1
Explanation
As an adjective, staunch means firm. You might want to go to that concert Friday night, but your parents' staunch opposition prevents you. Staunch is sometimes used as a verb to mean "to stop the flow of a liquid," but most usage books will tell you it's better to use the word stanch for the verb. Think of a soldier stopping and standing still, and you will understand the connection between the two meanings. The adjectival form should make you think of "stand," as in “stand firm,” or "take a stand." It comes from the French estanche meaning “watertight” and the Latin stanticare, which is probably from stans for “stand.”
Vocabulary lists containing staunch
Born a Crime
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"Of Plymouth Plantation," Vocabulary from the historical account
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Promises, Promises
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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.
See Examples For:
He swiftly selected Richard Grenell, a former ambassador to Germany and a staunch ally, as acting director of the center.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
He won a seat in Congress in 2022, the same year he and Emily Moreno—whose father is Ohio Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno, a staunch Trump ally—married at one of Trump’s golf clubs.
From Slate ● Aug. 10, 2026
He issued a no-bid contract to a company that botched the renovation, according to staunch Trump loyalist Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C.
From Salon ● Aug. 7, 2026
The 54-year-old remains a staunch bitcoin advocate, and was unfazed during the multiweek recent selloff in Strategy and Stretch.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 16, 2026
Swaying him was a tall order; a staunch opponent of match races and big purses, he was likely to come out against the plan.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
Two years after the WTO's last ministerial conference in Abu Dhabi failed to make meaningful progress on key issues like fisheries and agriculture, the organisation's 166 members will be facing even stauncher challenges in Yaounde.
From Barron's ● Mar. 20, 2026
However, the source said Reeker tried to get the agency to issue a stauncher defense of Yovanovitch.
From Reuters ● Oct. 26, 2019
He conceived it as an alternative to 4chan, one with an even stauncher commitment to anything-goes content moderation.
From The New Yorker ● Sep. 23, 2019
Saudi Arabia and the U.S. strongly backed Hadi, and the new president proved a stauncher ally to the U.S. than Saleh in the fight against al-Qaida’s branch in the country.
From Time ● Mar. 22, 2015
When they came to know him better, they found that a stauncher friend than Jack Smith was not to be found in the Temple.
From The New Rector by Stanley John Weyman
Laura Ingraham, one of Trump’s staunchest on-air defenders, wondered aloud on her Fox show on Monday.
From Slate ● Apr. 1, 2026
Poland has long counted itself one of the U.S.’s staunchest allies since the end of the Cold War.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 6, 2026
Cambodia has long been one of China's staunchest allies in Southeast Asia, and Beijing has extended its influence over Phnom Penh in recent years.
From Barron's ● Jan. 24, 2026
Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff, is among the staunchest proponents of this idea, as are right-wing luminaries such as Tucker Carlson.
From Salon ● Sep. 10, 2025
Among its regional leaders were five former Confederate generals; its staunchest supporters were the plantation owners for whom Reconstruction posed an economic and political nightmare.
From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt
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.
