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.
The outstanding 5% “are less liquid in the market and take longer time to source at the required scale,” the company said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 1, 2026
The Treasury has accepted it contributed to the death of a personal assistant and said "immediate steps" have been taken to tackle outstanding risks.
From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026
In Thursday’s Macro Voices podcast, he noted that if AI displaces workers and reduces their earning power, then the outstanding debt still needs to be serviced.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 30, 2026
Although the summit is due to end Friday, a number of outstanding matters -- including around the science -- remain unresolved.
From Barron's ● Oct. 29, 2026
The Adams-Jefferson rivalry and friendship is the outstanding example here, though there are several crucial moments when critical compromises were brokered because personal trust made it possible.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
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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.
