standby

1 of 4

noun

stand·​by ˈstan(d)-ˌbī 

plural standbys ˈstan(d)-ˌbīz 

1

a

: one to be relied on especially in emergencies

b

: a favorite or reliable choice or resource

2

: one that is held in reserve ready for use : substitute

standby

2 of 4

adjective

1

: held near at hand and ready for use

a standby power plant

standby equipment

2

: relating to the act or condition of standing by

standby duty

a standby period

3

: of, relating to, or traveling by an airline service in which the passenger must wait for an available unreserved seat

standby passengers

a standby ticket

standby

3 of 4

adverb

: on a standby basis

fly standby

stand by

4 of 4

verb

stood by; standing by; stands by

intransitive verb

1

: to be present

also : to remain apart or aloof

2

: to be or to get ready to act

an ambulance was standing by

transitive verb

: to remain loyal or faithful to : defend

stood by his decision

Phrases

on standby

: ready or available for immediate action or use

Synonyms

Noun

• anchor
• buttress
• dependence
• dependance
• mainstay
• pillar
• reliance

Verb

• adhere (to)
• cling (to)
• hew (to)
• keep (to)
• stick (to or with)

Examples of standby in a Sentence

Noun

More police officers were sent as standbys.

We bought an electric generator as a standby.

Verb

no matter how much people object, I will stand by my decision

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

In 2020, former Oregon Gov. Kate Brown put the National Guard on standby for a 48-hour period around Election Day and activated a unified command of state troopers, sheriff’s deputies and Portland police to handle any protests, according to the Associated Press. —Amanda Musa, CNN, 2 Nov. 2024

The defense ministry has put 36,000 troops on standby to help with rescue efforts, while almost 10,000 people have been evacuated from high-risk areas ahead of time, the government said. —Reuters, NBC News, 31 Oct. 2024

Adjective

And when the hand is moved to the keyboard to start typing, the Primera sees the keyboard and automatically goes into standby mode until the hand is moved back to the desk. —Ben Coxworth, New Atlas, 28 Oct. 2024

The issue is showing itself when the smartphone goes into standby mode. —Ewan Spence, Forbes, 20 Oct. 2024

Adverb

But for the approximately 750,000 Americans who have been diagnosed with ulcerative colitis (UC), being away from home—and a familiar bathroom—often feels riskier than flying standby. —Karla Walsh, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Oct. 2024

Southwest Airlines: Travelers with Southwest flights scheduled to, through and from Cancun (CUN) through Sept. 25 may rebook travel or fly standby for free within 14 days of their original travel dates. —Eve Chen, USA TODAY, 25 Sep. 2024

Verb

Advertisement Gerda’s career is an exemplar of what happens when news organizations invest in local journalism, let reporters dig instead of writing clickbait and stand by them in the face of critics real and imagined. —Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2024

Deutsche Bank ups target price to $232 from $225, raises earnings forecast 4% Analyst Lee Horowitz stood by his buy rating on Amazon, and his $232 price target implies more than 24% upside moving forward. —Brian Evans, CNBC, 1 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1712, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Adjective

1882, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adverb

1971, in the meaning defined above

Verb

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

Phrases Containing standby

• on standby

Kids Definition

standby

1 of 4 noun

stand·​by ˈstan(d)-ˌbī 

plural standbys -ˌbīz 

: one available or to be relied on especially in emergencies

standby

2 of 4 adjective

1

: held near at hand and ready for use

standby equipment

2

: relating to the act of standing by

a standby period

3

: of or relating to a mode of transportation (as airline service) in which the passengers must wait for an available unreserved spot

a standby ticket

standby

3 of 4 adverb

: as a standby passenger

flying standby

stand by

4 of 4 verb

(ˈ)stan(d)-ˈbī

1

: to be present

stood by, watching the game

2

: to be or to get ready to act

ambulances are standing by

3

: to remain loyal or faithful

stood by us to the end

stood by his decision