standing

American  

[stan-ding] / ˈstæn dɪŋ /

noun

1. rank or status, especially with respect to social, economic, or personal position, reputation, etc..

   He had little standing in the community.

2. good position, reputation, or credit.

   He is a merchant of standing in the community.

3. length of existence, continuance, residence, membership, experience, etc..

   a friend of long standing.

4. Sports. standings, a list of teams or contestants arranged according to their past records.

   According to the standings, the White Sox are leading the division by three games.

5. the act of a person or thing that stands.

6. a place where a person or thing stands.

7. Law. the right to initiate or participate in a legal action.

   having standing as a friend of the court.

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adjective

1. having an erect or upright position.

   a standing lamp.

2. performed in or from an erect position.

   a standing jump.

3. still; not flowing or stagnant, as water; stationary.

4. continuing without cessation or change; lasting or permanent.

5. continuing in operation, force, use, etc..

   a standing rule.

6. customary or habitual; generally understood.

   We have a standing bridge game every Friday night.

7. Printing. kept for use in subsequent printings.

   standing type.

8. out of use; idle.

   a standing engine.

9. Nautical. noting any of various objects or assemblages of objects fixed in place or position, unless moved for adjustment or repairs.

   standing bowsprit.

10. Knots. noting the part of a rope that is in use and terminates in a knot or the like.

standing British  

/ ˈstændɪŋ /

noun

1. social or financial position, status, or reputation

   a man of some standing

2. length of existence, experience, etc

3. (modifier) used to stand in or on

   standing room

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adjective

1. athletics

   1. (of the start of a race) begun from a standing position without the use of starting blocks

   2. (of a jump, leap, etc) performed from a stationary position without a run-up

2. (prenominal) permanent, fixed, or lasting

3. (prenominal) still or stagnant

   a standing pond

4. printing (of type) set and stored for future use Compare dead

Related Words

See credit.

Other Word Forms

• unstanding adjective

Etymology

Origin of standing

A Middle English word dating back to 1300–50; stand, -ing ¹, -ing ²

Explanation

The word standing is used for the reputation or rank of a person or institution. The new teacher's standing will be vastly improved if he throws a pizza party once a month. As a noun, standing is frequently used in sports for comparing one team's scores to all the others': "Our standings aren't great, but my softball team is plucky!" It also means "status" or "rank," like the social standing of aristocrats and nobles in medieval society. In law, if you have standing, you have cause to bring a lawsuit against someone else. When you use standing as an adjective, it means "upright" (like your mom's new standing desk) or "permanent" )like your grandparents' standing invitation to visit them any time).

Example Sentences

They sure are, yet a group claiming to represent local families seems to have a habit of standing in the way of cheap groceries.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

This distinction mattered enormously to the founders, who were deeply suspicious of standing armies and associated them with tyranny and imperial overreach.

From Slate • Apr. 15, 2026

Those traits, along with his standing as a protege of Marcelo Ebrard — Mexico’s secretary of the economy, who previously served as foreign minister — helped power Velasco’s meteoric career rise.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

"The closest I get to any kind of sport at work is a standing desk," says 33-year-old Adam Wilkie.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

Through the window I caught a glimpse of Tine standing in the crowd.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

Related Words

• place
• prestige
• reputation
• stature
• status