Showing results for stand a chance. Search instead for stand and clamp.

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.

See Examples For:

stand a chance

Opposing points of view don’t stand a chance.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 7, 2026

There are concerns that small quantum start-ups don’t stand a chance against industry giants like IBM.

From Barron's ● May 21, 2026

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

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

“We don’t stand a chance either way, do we?” said Kate.

From "The Mysterious Benedict Society" by Trenton Lee Stewart

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word

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