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stand a chance

Idioms

Have a possibility or a hope of success, as in Do you think Mary stands a chance of finishing the marathon? or I think we stand a fair chance of seeing the Queen arrive at Buckingham Palace. This idiom was first recorded in 1796. Also see not have an earthly chance.

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.

As much as Ipswich Town will see more money coming into the club, Maguire says they will also need to spend it in order to stand a chance of staying up.

From BBC • May 6, 2026

"To show people that if they take action and publicly voice their opposition, they actually stand a chance" of winning.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

In an AI era when attackers can jiggle every virtual doorknob continuously, human defenders don’t stand a chance.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 19, 2026

Let’s take a closer look at the list to try to assess whether the demands actually stand a chance of making a material difference in how ICE uses—and abuses—its vast power over immigration enforcement.

From Slate • Feb. 19, 2026

But if a little kid like Jamie, who’s usually a nice enough kid, can be that mean, then a kid like August doesn’t stand a chance in middle school.

From "Wonder" by R. J. Palacio

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023