stand-up
adjective
standing erect or upright, as a collar.
stand-up
American
[stand-uhp]
/ ˈstændˌʌp /
Or
standup
adjective
-
standing erect or upright, as a collar.
-
performed, taken, etc., while one stands.
a stand-up meal.
-
designed for or requiring a standing position.
a stand-up lunch counter.
-
(of a fight) characterized by the rapid exchange of many blows with little attention given to defensive maneuvering.
-
(of a person) characterized by an erect or bold stance.
-
Baseball. (of a double or triple) pertaining to a hit that allows the hitter to reach the base safely without having to slide.
-
relating to or noting a performance by a comedian delivering a monologue while alone on the stage.
stand-up comedy;
the best stand-up comics.
-
Slang. loyal and dependable.
He seems to be a real stand-up guy.
noun
-
stand-ups
plural
-
comedy in which a comedian delivers a monologue while alone on the stage.
We bought tickets to see some stand-up at a club downtown.
-
a comedian who delivers such monologues.
I've been a stand-up for about five years.
stand up
British
verb
-
(intr) to rise to the feet
-
(intr) to resist or withstand wear, criticism, etc
-
informal (tr) to fail to keep an appointment with, esp intentionally
-
-
to support, side with, or defend
-
to serve as best man for (the groom) at a wedding
-
-
-
to confront or resist courageously
-
to withstand or endure (wear, criticism, etc)
-
adjective
-
having or being in an erect position
a stand-up collar
-
done, performed, taken, etc, while standing
a stand-up meal
-
(of comedy or a comedian) performed or performing solo
-
informal (of a boxer) having an aggressive style without much leg movement
a stand-up fighter
noun
-
a stand-up comedian
-
stand-up comedy
stand up
Idioms
-
Remain valid, sound, or durable, as in His claim will not stand up in court , or Our old car stood up well over time . [Mid-1900s]
-
Fail to keep a date or appointment with, as in Al stood her up twice in the past week, and that will be the end of their relationship . [ Colloquial ; c. 1900] Also see stand up for ; stand up to ; stand up with .
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of stand-up
First recorded in 1580–90; adjective and noun use of verb phrase stand up
Vocabulary lists containing stand-up
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:
First Gillis built a following with his stand-up act; now he stars in a blue-collar workplace comedy for Netflix that he made with his friends.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026
But Declan’s turf is the raffish seaside town of Blackpool, home to cheeky postcards and stand-up comedians.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
Paul, one early Megan sighting was her stand-up act at Echo Park’s Little Joy.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
Carrott, whose real name is Robert Davis, became a household name in the 1970s thanks to his stand-up comedy and novelty songs.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
One of the reasons laughter is so effective as a tool for persuasion—and any stand-up comic who has ever seen off a heckler with a zinging one-liner knows this—is that laughter is involuntary assent.
From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith
Those who stand up for their ideals and principles without compromise, and seek to communicate them clearly, certainly won’t win every election, and they may well suffer for their convictions.
From Salon ● Aug. 23, 2026
He added: “And so to be able to stand up and say ‘Hey, it is not incompatible to be a Jewish leader and a progressive leader’ is something that clearly voters agreed with and embraced.”
From Slate ● Aug. 20, 2026
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who came to power last year by promising to stand up to Trump’s economic aggression, has said that Canada could retaliate.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
Then stand up on your toes as fast as you can.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026
I saw Flora stand up and crane her neck to glimpse my aunt’s skirt, and I swiftly crossed the room to her side.
From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan
The two became a couple in their 20s while working as stand-ups on the Los Angeles comedy scene.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
The guest list was as eclectic as the format: fellow stand-ups, YouTubers, chess players and assorted internet personalities, each drawn into Raina's loose, improvisational orbit.
From BBC ● Apr. 10, 2026
“Our customers aren’t actually all in the office anymore, and so they don’t necessarily want us in the office with them, but we do daily stand-ups with them.”
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 4, 2026
And these are stand-ups I love, and they’re not that great.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 27, 2026
But these days stand-ups release a lot more product than they used to and in more places, from satellite radio to TikTok.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 1, 2025
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.
