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
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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.
Guardiola utilised diminutive Argentina midfielder Javier Mascherano as a central defender at Barcelona, then transformed Bayern Munich's outstanding right-back Phillip Lahm into an equally effective holding midfield player.
From BBC • May 18, 2026
Only about 15% of shares outstanding were sold in the offering.
From Barron's • May 15, 2026
“Thanks to the outstanding investigative work and quick coordination by the Ventura Police Department’s Street Crimes Unit, these defendants were stopped before they could further exploit a vulnerable senior citizen,” Ventura County Dist.
From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026
Upon closing, Allen’s affiliate Allen Family Digital will own 52% of BuzzFeed’s shares outstanding.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 11, 2026
I was never an outstanding far fetcher, and this night I distrusted my own intuitions, being very tired.
From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin
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.
