staunch
Americanadjective
-
firm or steadfast in principle, adherence, loyalty, etc., as a person.
a staunch Republican; a staunch friend.
-
characterized by firmness, steadfastness, or loyalty.
He delivered a staunch defense of the government.
- Synonyms:
- resolute
-
a staunch little hut in the woods.
-
impervious to water or other liquids; watertight.
a staunch vessel.
adjective
-
loyal, firm, and dependable
a staunch supporter
-
solid or substantial in construction
-
rare (of a ship, etc) watertight; seaworthy
verb
Synonym Usage
See steadfast.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of staunch
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English sta(u)nch, from Middle French estanche (feminine), estanc (masculine), derivative of estancher “to close, stop”; see stanch 1
Explanation
As an adjective, staunch means firm. You might want to go to that concert Friday night, but your parents' staunch opposition prevents you. Staunch is sometimes used as a verb to mean "to stop the flow of a liquid," but most usage books will tell you it's better to use the word stanch for the verb. Think of a soldier stopping and standing still, and you will understand the connection between the two meanings. The adjectival form should make you think of "stand," as in “stand firm,” or "take a stand." It comes from the French estanche meaning “watertight” and the Latin stanticare, which is probably from stans for “stand.”
Vocabulary lists containing staunch
Born a Crime
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"Of Plymouth Plantation," Vocabulary from the historical account
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Promises, Promises
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
The two leaders were in Washington to attend the funeral of Senator Lindsey Graham, a staunch supporter of Israel and advocate for US aid to Ukraine, who died earlier this month.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
The 54-year-old remains a staunch bitcoin advocate, and was unfazed during the multiweek recent selloff in Strategy and Stretch.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 16, 2026
“He was a staunch pro-life senator with no equal.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 12, 2026
Blanchett has been a staunch proponent of protecting rights in the age of generative artificial intelligence.
From Barron's ● Jun. 23, 2026
Buckthorn, perhaps the most sensible and staunch of them all.
From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams
Two years after the WTO's last ministerial conference in Abu Dhabi failed to make meaningful progress on key issues like fisheries and agriculture, the organisation's 166 members will be facing even stauncher challenges in Yaounde.
From Barron's ● Mar. 20, 2026
However, the source said Reeker tried to get the agency to issue a stauncher defense of Yovanovitch.
From Reuters ● Oct. 26, 2019
He conceived it as an alternative to 4chan, one with an even stauncher commitment to anything-goes content moderation.
From The New Yorker ● Sep. 23, 2019
Saudi Arabia and the U.S. strongly backed Hadi, and the new president proved a stauncher ally to the U.S. than Saleh in the fight against al-Qaida’s branch in the country.
From Time ● Mar. 22, 2015
Oh, I assure you I'm sound enough," she answered, "the Churchills—I know you're a friend of his—haven't a stauncher ally than I am, and I should only be too glad to be able to contradict.
From The Inheritors by Conrad, Joseph
That story, published Monday, was too much even for his staunchest backers.
From Slate ● Jul. 7, 2026
Germany has long been among Israel's staunchest allies, something Berlin has grounded in the country's responsibility for the Holocaust.
From Barron's ● May 7, 2026
Some of those countries, such as Estonia, Lithuania and Poland, are now some of the alliance’s staunchest members.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 21, 2026
Marjorie Taylor Greene came into Congress as one of Donald Trump's staunchest defenders.
From BBC ● Nov. 22, 2025
Al-though he could have been a prime minister of South Africa, he became one of the bravest and staunchest friends of the freedom struggle that I have ever known.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
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.
