stance

noun

ˈstan(t)s 

1

chiefly Scotland

a

: station

b

: site

2

a

: a way of standing or being placed : posture

b

: intellectual or emotional attitude

took an antiwar stance

3

a

: the position of the feet of a golfer or batter preparatory to making a swing

b

: the position of both body and feet from which an athlete starts or operates

Synonyms

• attitude
• carriage
• poise
• posture
• station

Examples of stance in a Sentence

a slightly aggressive stance

Recent Examples on the Web

Tangent Sanders’ comment about Kennedy is a rare instance of a senior Democratic leader praising one of the health secretary nominee’s stances. —Siladitya Ray, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024

During oral arguments in September, the appeals panel appeared skeptical of TikTok's argument that free expression outweighs national security concerns, but the three judges were also critical of the government's stance. —Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 6 Dec. 2024

The move came hours after U.S. President-elect Donald Trump announced plans to nominate Paul Atkins, who’s known for his pro-crypto stance, as chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission. —Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 5 Dec. 2024

Pelosi’s stance is also notable given the circumstances of President Biden dropping his reelection bid this summer. —Emily Brooks, The Hill, 4 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English stance, staunce, from Middle French estance position, posture, stay, from Old French, from Vulgar Latin *stantia, from Latin stant-, stans, present participle of stare to stand

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing stance

• closed stance
• open stance

Kids Definition

stance

noun

ˈstan(t)s 

1

: a way of standing or being placed : posture

a soldier with an erect stance

2

: a way of thinking or feeling

took an opposing stance on the issue