standby

American  

[stand-bahy] / ˈstændˌbaɪ /

Or stand-by

noun

• standbys
  plural

1. a staunch supporter or adherent; one who can be relied upon.

2. something upon which one can rely and therefore choose or use regularly.

3. something or someone held ready to serve as a substitute, especially a radio or television program used as a filler in case of cancellation of a regularly scheduled program.

4. a traveler who is waiting for last-minute accommodations to become available on a plane, train, or other transport as a result of a cancellation.

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adjective

1. kept readily available for use in an emergency, shortage, or the like.

   a standby player.

2. of or relating to last-minute accommodations, the transport that offers them, or a traveler who is waiting for them.

   a standby flight.

3. of or relating to a waiting period.

idioms

1. on standby, in a state of readiness to act, respond, or be used immediately when needed.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• standbys
  plural

Etymology

Origin of standby

First recorded in 1790–1800; noun, adj. use of verb phrase stand by

Explanation

A standby is something (or someone) you can rely on in an emergency, like the bicycle you keep as a standby in case your old car won't start. In basketball, the players on the bench are the standbys for their teammates on the court; and in theater, an actor's understudy is her standby. When something is "on standby," it's ready to jump in or be used immediately. And when you fly on standby, you are ready to take an extra seat on a flight if one becomes available. Standby comes from nautical slang for "a vessel kept for emergencies," originally "that which stands by one."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

standby standbys

What should be in place for all minor children is a formal standby guardian designation in a will that is properly signed, witnessed and notarized.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 26, 2026

Tucakovic called in firefighting teams from other parts of the country to reinforce crews already at the scene, while four Canadair water-bombing aircraft were on standby to assist operations.

From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026

Public health teams remain on standby to act once the boat is secured.

From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026

Cummins raised its outlook for the year after reporting higher profit and sales in the second quarter, boosted by accelerating orders for standby power for data centers, as well as improving North American truck markets.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026

Each crew spent twenty-four hours on standby, making periodic checks, clearing the debris, doing whatever was necessary to keep the water moving into camp.

From "Farewell to Manzanar" by Jeanne Houston

For days when even that feels like too much, a few freezer and pantry standbys can save the gathering.

From Salon ● Jul. 12, 2026

Rock’s commercial struggles in the streaming era may also be spurring fans of the genre toward old standbys.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 3, 2026

Since their mainstream emergence in 2022, A.I. apps have been a point of concern for game workers like visual artists, software engineers, and voice-over standbys.

From Slate ● Jul. 30, 2024

An additional juror was sworn in as an alternate, and the process of finding five more standbys will continue on Friday.

From BBC ● Apr. 18, 2024

"They were maistly a' auld standbys, auld married men that ought to have had mair sense."

From The Bow of Orange Ribbon A Romance of New York by Theo. Hampe