stand out

British  

verb

1. to be distinctive or conspicuous

2. to refuse to agree, consent, or comply

   they stood out for a better price

3. to protrude or project

4. to navigate a vessel away from a port, harbour, anchorage, etc

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noun

1. informal

   1. a person or thing that is distinctive or outstanding

   2. ( as modifier )

      the standout track from the album

2. a person who refuses to agree or consent

stand out Idioms  

1. Protrude, project, as in Those reliefs stand out from the building walls . [First half of 1500s]

2. Be conspicuous, distinctive, or prominent, as in He's so tall that he always stands out in a crowd . [Mid-1800s]

3. Refuse to comply, remain opposed, as in The one juror is standing out against a guilty verdict . [Late 1500s]

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Example Sentences

The younger Saavedra battled with his father in the late ’90s about changing the brand’s label to help it stand out on crowded shelves.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2026

The Argentine, 21, is struggling to stand out among the cast at Stamford Bridge, having been linked with a transfer and drawing criticism for a lack of output in attack and switching off defensively.

From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026

So we asked workplace performance expert Henna Pryor how workers can go about making sure they have more of the intangibles that could be required to stand out in the AI era.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 11, 2026

Dragonflies stand out among insects for their ability to detect red light.

From Science Daily • Apr. 9, 2026

She has darkened her lashes with black mascara so that her eyes stand out as if she were slightly startled at her good luck.

From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez

Related Words

• emerge
• loom
• stick out