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• stead
  stead

  noun

  the place of a person or thing as occupied by a successor or substitute.
• Stead
  Stead

  noun

  Christina ( Ellen ). 1902–83, Australian novelist. Her works include Seven Poor Men of Sydney (1934), The Man who Loved Children (1940), and Cotters' England (1966)

stead

American  

[sted] / stɛd /

noun

1. the place of a person or thing as occupied by a successor or substitute.

   The nephew of the queen came in her stead.

2. Obsolete. a place or locality.

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verb (used with object)

1. to be of service, advantage, or avail to.

idioms

1. stand in good stead, to be useful to, especially in a critical situation.

   Your experience will stand you in good stead.

stead ¹ British  

/ stɛd /

noun

1. rare (preceded by in) the place, function, or position that should be taken by another

   to come in someone's stead

2. to be useful or of good service to (someone)

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verb

1. archaic (tr) to help or benefit

Stead ² British  

/ stɛd /

noun

1. Christina ( Ellen ). 1902–83, Australian novelist. Her works include Seven Poor Men of Sydney (1934), The Man who Loved Children (1940), and Cotters' England (1966)

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stead More Idioms  

1. see in someone's shoes (stead); stand in good stead. Also see under instead.

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Etymology

Origin of stead

before 900; (noun) Middle English, Old English stede; cognate with German Stätte place; akin to German Stadt, Old Norse stathr, Gothic staths, Greek stásis ( see stasis); (v.) Middle English steden, derivative of the noun

Explanation

Someone's stead is their position, or occupation. The eager understudy to starring role leapt at the chance to serve in the lead actor's stead when he mysteriously got food poisoning. Stead comes from the Germanic root for "place, town," but we usually use it for a person's place, and most frequently when someone is serving as a substitute. If you serve in someone's stead, you're doing their job for them while they're not there. You probably intuitively know this word from the more common instead, which is just a shortening for "in the stead of."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

stead Stead

Instead, President Trump appeared in his stead, where he said the senator had been “like a member of the family.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 12, 2026

Bruce Broussard, a member of the company’s board of directors since 2021, has been acting as interim CEO in his stead.

From Barron's ● May 27, 2026

It suggests, if I may be so bold, an upbeat and calm frame of mind that will stand you in good stead during this process.

From MarketWatch ● May 21, 2026

Some of them were dead, and their families answered the questionnaires about past glyphosate exposure in their stead.

From Slate ● Mar. 5, 2026

For we reckon back our line to Mardil, the good steward, who ruled in the king’s stead when he went away to war.

From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien

When Kayley Stead was left alone at the altar on her big day, she did what few would think to do - let the wedding continue.

From BBC ● Jun. 11, 2026

Neal Stead and his wife Tara both work in administration – Neal in a contact centre, and Tara at a hospital.

From BBC ● Nov. 24, 2025

Bradford had other ideas, though, as Jon Stead pulled one back before Filipe Morais side-footed in an equaliser.

From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2025

Westlake 10, Agoura 2: Noah Stead had a grand slam for Westlake.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 29, 2025

Mr. Stead tipped his hat and said good-bye.

From "I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912" by Lauren Tarshis