upstanding
Americanadjective
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upright; honorable; straightforward.
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of a fine, vigorous type.
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erect; erect and tall.
adjective
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of good character
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upright and vigorous in build
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(in a court of law) a direction to all persons present to rise to their feet before the judge enters or leaves the court
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(at a formal dinner) a direction to all persons present to rise to their feet for a toast
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Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of upstanding
before 1000; Middle English; Old English upstandende; see up-, stand, -ing 2
Explanation
The adjective upstanding is good for describing someone who is a good and honorable person, like your trusted best friend. A person with a reputation for honesty and strong morals can be called upstanding. The word is often paired with citizen, especially when someone's talking about a public or well-known figure: "Everyone knows the high school principal is an upstanding citizen." Its root is Old English, and the earliest meaning was literally "standing up." It wasn't until the 1860's that upstanding gained the meaning of "honest and respectable."
Vocabulary lists containing upstanding
Dear Martin
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Born a Crime
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Here to Stay
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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.
Local leaders and families are ordered to identify those they recognise as upstanding citizens.
From Barron's • Jan. 23, 2026
None of us gets out without doing some damage to someone else’s heart, no matter how upstanding we think we may be.
From Salon • Oct. 29, 2025
Philadelphia sports fans have a bit of a reputation for not always being the most upstanding of citizens.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 10, 2025
"Please be upstanding for the world's most confusing House of Games contestant and Bake Off failure, Self Esteem!"
From BBC • Apr. 18, 2025
But he was confident that between Zeitoun’s reputation, lack of any prior infractions, and this showing of character witnesses—a wide swath of upstanding New Orleanians—the judge would release Abdulrahman Zeitoun with profuse apologies.
From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers
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.
