stand-in

1 of 2

noun

1
: someone employed to occupy an actor's place while lights and camera are readied
2

stand in

2 of 2

verb

stood in; standing in; stands in

intransitive verb

: to act as a stand-in
Phrases
stand in with
: to be in a specially favored position with

Examples of stand-in in a Sentence

Noun hired him at the last minute as a stand-in for the person who quit Verb she will be standing in for the regular teacher for a week
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The characters may function metaphorically as stand-ins for the U.S. and Mexico and how those countries, like these people, need each other. Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 20 Feb. 2025 The audience was left to decide, a stand-in for the jury. Joshua Barone, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2025
Verb
Reclaimed white pine flooring by the Hudson Company stands in handsome contrast to board-and-batten paneling in the primary bathroom, where the tub is by Randolph Morris. Elizabeth Fazzare, Architectural Digest, 17 Feb. 2025 Many in the crowd at The Arena in Oakland stood in anticipation; Francis and his Rockets teammate Cuttino Mobley lay on their stomachs on the court, like two guys on the beach checking out the waves and the string bikinis. Marcus Thompson Ii, The Athletic, 15 Feb. 2025 See all Example Sentences for stand-in 

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1929, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1904, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stand-in was in 1904

Dictionary Entries Near stand-in

Cite this Entry

“Stand-in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stand-in. Accessed 26 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

stand-in

1 of 2 noun
ˈstan-ˌdin
1
: someone employed to occupy an actor's place while lights and camera are readied
2

stand in

2 of 2 verb
(ˈ)stan-ˈdin
: to act as a stand-in
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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