a substitute for a motion-picture star during the preparation of lighting, cameras, etc., or in dangerous scenes.
any substitute.
to act as a substitute
to be of benefit or advantage to someone
a person or thing that serves as a substitute
( as modifier )
a stand-in teacher
a person who substitutes for an actor during intervals of waiting or in dangerous stunts
First recorded in 1930–35; noun use of verb phrase stand in
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
England's standards in the field slipped again when they were under pressure, but stand-in skipper Charlie Dean led an encouraging fightback by removing both set batters in the 14th over.
From BBC • May 28, 2026
Romero explains how the Supreme Court is essentially treating Callais “as a stand-in for principles that the justices either did not discuss in that case or flat-out claimed to reject.”
From Slate • May 21, 2026
And on Tuesday all eyes were certainly on whether Vance could repeat Rubio's relaxed performance as a stand-in for White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who is on maternity leave.
From Barron's • May 19, 2026
There is probably one thing worse than sitting for hours waiting for an X-ray or a follow-up appointment, only to be greeted by another well-meaning stand-in who is frustratingly unfamiliar with your file.
From MarketWatch • May 1, 2026
At length, though, the stand-in grew impatient and began shifting his weight from paw to paw.
From "Nine Stories" by J. D. Salinger
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.
