stand out
Britishverb
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to be distinctive or conspicuous
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to refuse to agree, consent, or comply
they stood out for a better price
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to protrude or project
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to navigate a vessel away from a port, harbour, anchorage, etc
noun
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informal
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a person or thing that is distinctive or outstanding
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( as modifier )
the standout track from the album
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a person who refuses to agree or consent
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Protrude, project, as in Those reliefs stand out from the building walls . [First half of 1500s]
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Be conspicuous, distinctive, or prominent, as in He's so tall that he always stands out in a crowd . [Mid-1800s]
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Refuse to comply, remain opposed, as in The one juror is standing out against a guilty verdict . [Late 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.
Distinctiveness - "That could be something like 'what would make a face stand out in a crowd?' AI faces do tend to cluster towards the average. So they look a bit more generic."
From BBC • Jul. 11, 2026
Good candidates, regardless of experience level, will stand out by crafting a good cover letter and coming to interviews with ideas.
From MarketWatch • Jul. 8, 2026
Diego Bollo views graduate school as a way to fast-track a career as an economic policy analyst and make him stand out to potential employers.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 6, 2026
Thick lanes of dust stand out as dark filaments because they are dense enough to resist being worn away, creating dramatic contrast against the glowing red clouds.
From Science Daily • Jul. 5, 2026
He had a good head start, but I was quick, and he was big enough to stand out.
From "Beyond the Bright Sea" by Lauren Wolk
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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.