stance

[stans]

noun

1. the position or bearing of the body while standing: standing.

   legs spread in a wide stance; the threatening stance of the bull.

2. a mental or emotional position adopted with respect to something.

   They assumed an increasingly hostile stance in their foreign policy.

3. Sports.,  the relative position of the feet, as in addressing a golf ball or in making a stroke.

stance

/ stæns, stɑːns /

noun

1. the manner and position in which a person or animal stands

2. sport the posture assumed when about to play the ball, as in golf, cricket, etc

3. general emotional or intellectual attitude

   a leftist stance

4. a place where buses or taxis wait

5. mountaineering a place at the top of a pitch where a climber can stand and belay

Word History and Origins

Origin of stance¹

First recorded in 1525–35; from Old French estance, “(standing) position,” from Vulgar Latin stantia (unrecorded), derivative of Latin stant-, stem of stāns “standing,” present participle of stāre “to stand”; stand

Word History and Origins

Origin of stance¹

C16: via French from Italian stanza place for standing, from Latin stāns , from stāre to stand

Example Sentences

These are not isolated incidents; they reflect an editorial stance that sees trans lives not as lived experiences, but as topics for debate.

Read more on Salon

They also pressed the Bank to relax its stance on cryptocurrencies, accusing it of holding back innovation.

Read more on BBC

While spillovers from French political developments onto the euro should remain contained, the Bank of England’s persistent restrictive policy stance is likely to limit any sterling falls ahead of November’s U.K. autumn budget, he says.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

In particular, the U.S. administration may use the review to squeeze Canberra into increasing military spending and to take a more hawkish stance toward China, a major trading partner for Australia.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Despite his apparent willingness to modulate his stance based on new information, he remains cautious about declaring either a labor-market slump or victory over inflation.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• attitude 
• posture 
• stand 
• viewpoint