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
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"Of Plymouth Plantation," Vocabulary from the historical account
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Promises, Promises
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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:
Following the meetings, all three men attended the funeral of Sen. Lindsey Graham, the South Carolina Republican who up until his death on July 11 was a staunch supporter of both Ukraine and Israel.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
Burnham was also a staunch supporter of justice for the victims of the Hillsborough disaster.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
Paese, who had been a staunch supporter of Ruemmler, pushed back and told Ruemmler her own emails were to blame, the people said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026
“He was a staunch pro-life senator with no equal.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 12, 2026
Swaying him was a tall order; a staunch opponent of match races and big purses, he was likely to come out against the plan.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
Two years after the last ministerial conference in Abu Dhabi failed to make meaningful progress on key issues like fisheries and agriculture, member states face even stauncher challenges this time.
From Barron's ● Mar. 26, 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
Alexandre Dumas, than whom no stauncher friend ever existed who would have willingly risked his own life to save that of Dujarrier, had to decline the mission suggested by his son.
From An Englishman in Paris Notes and Recollections by Albert D.
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
Poland has long counted itself one of the U.S.’s staunchest allies since the end of the Cold War.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 6, 2026
Marjorie Taylor Greene came into Congress as one of Donald Trump's staunchest defenders.
From BBC ● Nov. 22, 2025
Among its regional leaders were five former Confederate generals; its staunchest supporters were the plantation owners for whom Reconstruction posed an economic and political nightmare.
From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt
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.
