outstanding

[ out-stan-ding ]

/ ˌaʊtˈstæn dɪŋ /

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See synonyms for outstanding on Thesaurus.com

adjective

prominent; conspicuous; striking: an outstanding example of courage.

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.

OTHER WORDS FOR outstanding

1 eminent.

3 owing, due.

See synonyms for outstanding on Thesaurus.com

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Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of outstanding

First recorded in 1605–15; outstand + -ing²

OTHER WORDS FROM outstanding

out·stand·ing·ly, adverbout·stand·ing·ness, noun

Words nearby outstanding

outspent, outspoken, outspread, outsprint, outstand, outstanding, outstare, outstation, outstay, outstretch, outstrip

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use outstanding in a sentence

The outstanding Jared Butler, the outstanding Davion Mitchell and the outstanding MaCio Teague had 223 college games between them before this season, and between them, they’re something.
College basketball’s kingdoms have gone haywire — in case you just started paying attention|Chuck Culpepper|February 12, 2021|Washington Post
A spokeswoman for the agency emphasized that it was not unusual to have outstanding or unpaid bills from companies.
Utility Companies Owe Millions to This State Regulatory Agency. The Problem? The Agency Can’t Track What It’s Owed.|by Scott Morris, Bay City News Foundation|February 10, 2021|ProPublica
They made big bets across channels to create and deliver outstanding content despite incredible production constraints.
Comedy Central Digital, VH1 and Johnson & Johnson top this year’s Digiday Video and TV Awards shortlist|Melissa Hayes|February 9, 2021|Digiday
At the same time, two-thirds of outstanding student loan debt is held by women.
Why Student Debt Cancellation Is Vital for Americans Most Hurt by the Pandemic|Suzanne Kahn and Anna N. Smith|February 5, 2021|Time

Together, they create a sweater capable of providing outstanding insulation that stays comfortable when things heat up.
The Kora Xenolith Is My Secret Weapon Against the Cold|Wes Siler|February 2, 2021|Outside Online
Reviews have been outstanding, with many film critics calling it one of the best films of the year.
Dr. King Goes to Hollywood: The Flawed History of ‘Selma’|Gary May|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
This is both an outstanding work of scholarship and a commanding visual document.
The Best Coffee Table Books of 2014|Robert Birnbaum|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
For a longer list of 200 outstanding releases, click here.
The Best Albums of 2014|Ted Gioia|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Because Wright was a no-show in criminal court to face the loud music and pot bust he already had an outstanding warrant.
The Navy ‘Hero’ Who Pimped an HIV-Positive Teen|M.L. Nestel|December 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A “komitetchik par excellence,” a man of “outstanding mediocrity,” and “the grave digger of the revolution.”
Kotkin Biography Reveals Stalin's Evil Pragmatism|William O’Connor|November 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It has continued to be an outstanding institution for higher education in the United States.
Hallowed Heritage: The Life of Virginia|Dorothy M. Torpey
The elevator company must keep on hand enough grain to meet all outstanding receipts.
Putnam's Handy Law Book for the Layman|Albert Sidney Bolles
The next outstanding incident of her life had happened two years later, when she was seventeen.
Summer|Edith Wharton
The Washington Monument here is considered an outstanding sculptural group.
Hallowed Heritage: The Life of Virginia|Dorothy M. Torpey
(i) The gazetting of the outstanding regulations empowered by the 1934 and 1953 Amendment Acts.
Report of the Special Committee on Moral Delinquency in Children and Adolescents|Oswald Chettle Mazengarb et al.

British Dictionary definitions for outstanding

outstanding

/ (ˌaʊtˈstændɪŋ) /

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

Derived forms of outstanding

outstandingly, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

outstanding

OTHER WORDS FOR outstanding

Origin of outstanding

OTHER WORDS FROM outstanding

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How to use outstanding in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for outstanding

Derived forms of outstanding