upstanding

American  

[uhp-stan-ding] / ʌpˈstæn dɪŋ /

adjective

1. upright; honorable; straightforward.

2. of a fine, vigorous type.

3. erect; erect and tall.

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upstanding British  

/ ʌpˈstændɪŋ /

adjective

1. of good character

2. upright and vigorous in build

3. 1. (in a court of law) a direction to all persons present to rise to their feet before the judge enters or leaves the court

   2. (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

• upstandingness noun

Etymology

Origin of upstanding

before 1000; Middle English; Old English upstandende; up-, stand, -ing ²

Example Sentences

“I know some upstanding people who’ve lived down worse than that. I’m not going to tell you which ones, though.”

From Literature

Local leaders and families are ordered to identify those they recognise as upstanding citizens.

From Barron's

But being active, upstanding members of the congregation mattered to his mother’s family.

From Literature

Flashbacks illustrate who Gacy’s victims were to the people who knew and loved them, landing on the more sensitive and sensible view that they saw Gacy as trustworthy, upstanding, and therefore unthreatening.

From Salon

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