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.
-
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.
"The outstanding charges against RB in respect of 'Alice' from Dispatches demonstrate that there has been no such decision – rather that the police will and have responded appropriately once a formal allegation is made."
From BBC ● Nov. 6, 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
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
Under the agreement, Jimenez’s lawyers would drop any outstanding court requests and agree to delay the judge’s order to produce the records, according to court filings.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2026
I was drawn to it because it was a diverse school with limited financial resources and yet had been deemed academically outstanding.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
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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.
