standout

American  

[stand-out] / ˈstændˌaʊt /

Or stand-out

noun

1. something or someone, as a person, performance, etc., remarkably superior to others.

   Evans was a standout in the mixed doubles.

2. someone who is conspicuous in an area because of refusal to conform with the actions, opinions, desires, etc., of the majority.

---

adjective

1. outstanding; superior.

Etymology

Origin of standout

First recorded in 1895–1900 for the noun; adjective use of verb phrase stand out

Example Sentences

Glenn Whipp says, “ ‘DTF St. Louis’ is the standout limited series, a murder mystery in form that’s really about suburban loneliness, particularly the isolation that can cripple middle-aged men.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026

The in-person meetings allow him to find standout talent whose applications might blend into the masses on paper.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026

She says her standout star has been George Fouracres, whose "Keir Starmer impression is everything I needed it to be".

From BBC • May 17, 2026

But Bass, she said, is the standout for her leadership, such as her involvement in averting a strike by L.A.

From Los Angeles Times • May 17, 2026

The one standout entry in the Received column was the seventy dollars from Formann’s Department Store.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu