outstanding
Americanadjective
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prominent; conspicuous; striking.
an outstanding example of courage.
- Synonyms:
- eminent
-
marked by superiority or distinction; excellent; distinguished.
an outstanding student.
-
continuing in existence; remaining unsettled, unpaid, etc..
outstanding debts.
-
(of securities and the like) publicly issued and sold or in circulation.
-
standing out; projecting.
a stiff, outstanding fabric.
-
Archaic. that resists or opposes.
adjective
-
superior; excellent; distinguished
-
prominent, remarkable, or striking
-
still in existence; unsettled, unpaid, or unresolved
-
(of shares, bonds, etc) issued and sold
-
projecting or jutting upwards or outwards
Other Word 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.
It may affect people with outstanding debts, as providers can increase the interest rates they charge with 30 days' notice.
From BBC ● Nov. 7, 2026
MoffettNathanson analyst Robert Fishman, in a research note on Friday, said that DraftKings was “essentially putting all of their chips on the future of a business that still has plenty of outstanding unknowns.”
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 6, 2026
As a result of the transaction, Fox stockholders own around 74% of the outstanding shares of Fox common stock and former Roku stockholders own approximately 26%.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026
Secretary of State Michael Watson said in his last update posted on X Thursday that around 3,300 absentee ballots remained outstanding.
From Barron's ● Nov. 6, 2026
His father says Zach was outstanding, with one caveat.
From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
