Showing results for stand a chance. Search instead for study chances.

stand a chance

Idioms

Have a possibility or a hope of success, as in Do you think Mary stands a chance of finishing the marathon? or I think we stand a fair chance of seeing the Queen arrive at Buckingham Palace. This idiom was first recorded in 1796. Also see not have an earthly chance.

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:

stand a chance

Opposing points of view don’t stand a chance.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 7, 2026

In a statement read to the court, another of the daughters said her mother made the "sensible" choice to use the zebra crossing but "did not stand a chance" due to Stokoe's choices.

From BBC ● May 15, 2026

In an AI era when attackers can jiggle every virtual doorknob continuously, human defenders don’t stand a chance.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 19, 2026

Let’s take a closer look at the list to try to assess whether the demands actually stand a chance of making a material difference in how ICE uses—and abuses—its vast power over immigration enforcement.

From Slate ● Feb. 19, 2026

You don’t have to believe in obsessive parenting to think that the second boy doesn’t stand a chance and that the first boy has it made.

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