standing

[ stan-ding ]

noun

1. rank or status, especially with respect to social, economic, or personal position, reputation, etc.:

   He had little standing in the community.

2. good position, reputation, or credit:

   He is a merchant of standing in the community.

3. length of existence, continuance, residence, membership, experience, etc.:

   a friend of long standing.

4. standings, Sports. a list of teams or contestants arranged according to their past records:

   According to the standings, the White Sox are leading the division by three games.

5. the act of a person or thing that stands.
6. a place where a person or thing stands.
7. Law. the right to initiate or participate in a legal action:

   having standing as a friend of the court.

adjective

1. having an erect or upright position:

   a standing lamp.

2. performed in or from an erect position:

   a standing jump.

3. still; not flowing or stagnant, as water; stationary.
4. continuing without cessation or change; lasting or permanent.
5. continuing in operation, force, use, etc.:

   a standing rule.

6. customary or habitual; generally understood:

   We have a standing bridge game every Friday night.

7. Printing. kept for use in subsequent printings:

   standing type.

8. out of use; idle:

   a standing engine.

9. Nautical. noting any of various objects or assemblages of objects fixed in place or position, unless moved for adjustment or repairs:

   standing bowsprit.

10. Knots. noting the part of a rope that is in use and terminates in a knot or the like.

standing

/ ˈstændɪŋ /

noun

1. social or financial position, status, or reputation

   a man of some standing

2. length of existence, experience, etc
3. modifier used to stand in or on

   standing room

adjective

1. athletics
   1. (of the start of a race) begun from a standing position without the use of starting blocks
   2. (of a jump, leap, etc) performed from a stationary position without a run-up
2. prenominal permanent, fixed, or lasting
3. prenominal still or stagnant

   a standing pond

4. See dead
   printing (of type) set and stored for future use Compare dead

Other Words From

• un·standing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of standing¹

A Middle English word dating back to 1300–50; stand, -ing ¹, -ing ²

Synonym Study

See credit.

Example Sentences

As Republicans have improved their standing in the Midwest and Democrats have made headway in the Sun Belt, some states not usually considered competitive are now in play.

From FiveThirtyEight

The AutoPilot’s bow is very wide, with lots of floatation forward, making for a very secure standing platform.

From Popular-Science

New research suggests that infanticide may be part of a strategy females use to maintain their social standing.

From Science News

There’s also the potential that TikTok could lose its standing among creators, such as Charli D’Amelio, Addison Rae and Zach King, that have helped the app become so popular among teenagers and twentysomethings.

From Digiday

Also, take into consideration your current financial standing before making any grand projections of your business in the future.

From Search Engine Watch

Hmm, who are these people standing in front of the machines at the gym, neither occupying them nor not occupying them?

From The Daily Beast

However, legal issues are only one of the things standing between an ex-prisoner and a job.

From The Daily Beast

Yet another video catches the sounds of the gunshots and shows Brinsley standing by the parked radio car.

From The Daily Beast

He is a true advocate for human rights who has paid a horrible price for standing up against the Assad dictatorship.

From The Daily Beast

Not only is he wrong—but the true patriots are the ones standing up for pluralism in America.

From The Daily Beast

It is thinner than that of chronic bronchitis, and upon standing separates into three layers of pus, mucus, and frothy serum.

From Project Gutenberg

She looked so sweet when she said it, standing and smiling there in the middle of the floor, the door-way making a frame for her.

From Project Gutenberg

It separates into three layers upon standing—a brown deposit, a clear fluid, and a frothy layer.

From Project Gutenberg

He returned shortly, to meet his mother standing in the doorway, with pale, affrighted face.

From Project Gutenberg

Ollie saw someone standing before it, bending slightly forward in the pose of expectation.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• place
• prestige
• reputation
• stature
• status