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
-
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
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.
However, "the outstanding results are not likely to materially influence the overall result of that election", she said.
From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026
The CMS system had added the outstanding amount, and some arrears he had been disputing, to his continuing payments to come up with the new figure.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
In fact in the case of the 2012 Lucasfilm purchase, Disney was buying back stock at such a clip that its total shares outstanding dropped that year.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
Fitch cited a “rising discord between the project parties over outstanding claims and obligations, even though the project is 99.6% complete and both parties have economic incentives to complete it.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
We don’t even wish so much for fantastic or marvelous or outstanding.
From "Every Day" by David Levithan
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.
