stand on
Britishverb
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(adverb) to continue to navigate a vessel on the same heading
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(preposition) to insist on
to stand on ceremony
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informal to be independent or self-reliant
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Be based on, depend on, as in Our success will stand on their support . [c. 1600]
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Insist on observance of, as in Let's not stand on ceremony . This usage today is nearly always put in a negative context. [Mid-1500s]
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.
Sentinels stand on the plot’s four corners: kousa dogwood, favored for its red accents.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
The Hawaiʻi Supreme Court “needs no part of this. The Hawaiʻi Constitution was built to stand on its own. And so it does.”
From Slate ● Jul. 17, 2026
"I prefer to play with Lego at home with the kids. I prefer to stand on a truck with everyone together. That is more fun and it looks more professional," he said.
From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2026
When the Stars and Stripes’ clash with Australia kicked off last week, there wasn’t a single person in line at the “Cityside” concession stand on the concourse behind the Australian goal.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 24, 2026
Letting the team do as they wish, I simply stand on the back or push up the hills and do not care about winning or losing—only the dance counts.
From "Woodsong" by Gary Paulsen
Definitions 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.
