2
: performed in, performing in, or requiring a standing position
a stand-up bar
especially
: of, relating to, performing, or being a monologue of jokes, gags, or satirical comments delivered usually while standing alone on a stage or in front of a camera
stand-up comedy
a stand-up comedian
3
: marked by a high degree of personal integrity or loyalty
a stand-up guy
1
: stand-up comedy
also
: a performer of such comedy
2
: a television broadcast in which the reporter or narrator faces the camera with the scene of the story in the background
stood up; standing up; stands up
1
: to rise to a standing position
2
: to remain sound and intact under stress, attack, or close scrutiny
: to fail to keep an appointment with
Synonyms
Examples of stand-up in a Sentence
Verb
a hypothesis that won't stand up to close analysis
Recent Examples on the Web
Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2024
The first film served as a moody origin story for the Joker, a struggling stand-up comedian and part-time clown named Arthur Fleck.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 10 Apr. 2024
Jay Leno and Wife Mavis Enjoy Night Out at Comedy Show amid Her Dementia Struggles
The update comes after the former Tonight Show host brought Mavis to his stand-up show at the Hollywood Improv comedy club in WeHo last week.
—Stephanie Wenger, Peoplemag, 9 Apr. 2024
As stand-up comics flood Los Angeles, Netflix Is a Joke Fest will feature comedians Chris Rock, David Letterman, Jerry Seinfeld, Hannah Gadsby, and Seth Rogen.
—Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 8 Apr. 2024
The comedian has set her first stand-up comedy special for the streamer behind the hit show.
—Lesley Goldberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Apr. 2024
Though representation has lagged for Arab stand-up comedians, Zayid notes that many famous American comedy actors were of Arab descent: Marlo Thomas, her father Danny Thomas, Victor E. Tayback, and Tony Shalhoub.
—Kiara Alfonseca, ABC News, 4 Apr. 2024
The same year, Seinfeld released his first original stand-up routine since 1998 for his Netflix special, 23 Hours to Kill.
—Dustin Nelson, EW.com, 4 Apr. 2024
That taste of stand-up prompted Iglesias to quit his well-paying cellphone salesman job.
—Olivia McCormack, Washington Post, 1 Apr. 2024
Andy Hoglund, EW.com, 25 Mar. 2023
Kemp’s infectious smile and, by all accounts, stand-up status as a teammate put him on the list.
—James Yasko, Chron, 24 Mar. 2023
John Mulaney is making a comeback to stand-up with his latest special, John Mulaney: Baby J. (His last special was released five years ago in 2018.
—Amanda Curran, Glamour, 22 Mar. 2023
Amazon Prime Video's comedy that follows the life of a stand-up comedian in the 1960s will end with its fifth season, which premieres on April 14.
—Brendan Morrow, The Week, 20 Mar. 2023
Sandler did his first stand-up at 17 at an open mic in Boston.
—Geoff Edgers, Washington Post, 16 Mar. 2023
Rodgers said that Hawk suggested McAfee as an emergency fill-in for a golf tournament team, and McAfee agreed to do it even while in the midst of a stand-up comedy tour.
—Jr Radcliffe, Journal Sentinel, 15 Mar. 2023
President Zelensky, the most important person standing up for freedom, was a stand-up comic.
—Rob Tannenbaum, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2023
In addition, Laugh Out Loud Radio on SiriusXM will exclusively premiere Bernie Mac’s first-ever solo full-length stand-up album.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 15 Mar. 2023
Charlotte Phillipp, Peoplemag, 7 Apr. 2024
All activities will be done standing up, and supplies and tools will be provided in addition to snacks, lunch and a bottle of water.
—Anne Gelhaus, The Mercury News, 7 Apr. 2024
That's the moment when, one recent evening, a climate activist stood up from his seat in the audience.
—Chloe Veltman, NPR, 5 Apr. 2024
While many Blue Stem forms have a hard time standing up in the garden, ‘Standing Ovation’ stands tall.
—Paul Cappiello, The Courier-Journal, 5 Apr. 2024
That sudden shift, Jain said, owes itself partly to the language of these new laws which would have previously struggled to stand up to legal scrutiny.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 3 Apr. 2024
One of the victims’ lawyers stood up and shouted that Erarslan should be kicked out of the courtroom.
—Leif Wenar, WIRED, 2 Apr. 2024
John stood up for the downtrodden, as cliché as that might sound.
—Gary Graff, Billboard, 2 Apr. 2024
Two companions soon stood up and began shouting about the perils of a warming planet.
—Zach Helfand, The New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2024
Adjective
The only weak link in the family is Williams, a stand-up comedian whose small, underwritten part as mom to the Crandell kids doesn’t play to her strengths.
—Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2024
The first film served as a moody origin story for the Joker, a struggling stand-up comedian and part-time clown named Arthur Fleck.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 10 Apr. 2024
Jay Leno and Wife Mavis Enjoy Night Out at Comedy Show amid Her Dementia Struggles
The update comes after the former Tonight Show host brought Mavis to his stand-up show at the Hollywood Improv comedy club in WeHo last week.
—Stephanie Wenger, Peoplemag, 9 Apr. 2024
As stand-up comics flood Los Angeles, Netflix Is a Joke Fest will feature comedians Chris Rock, David Letterman, Jerry Seinfeld, Hannah Gadsby, and Seth Rogen.
—Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 8 Apr. 2024
The comedian has set her first stand-up comedy special for the streamer behind the hit show.
—Lesley Goldberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Apr. 2024
Though representation has lagged for Arab stand-up comedians, Zayid notes that many famous American comedy actors were of Arab descent: Marlo Thomas, her father Danny Thomas, Victor E. Tayback, and Tony Shalhoub.
—Kiara Alfonseca, ABC News, 4 Apr. 2024
The same year, Seinfeld released his first original stand-up routine since 1998 for his Netflix special, 23 Hours to Kill.
—Dustin Nelson, EW.com, 4 Apr. 2024
That taste of stand-up prompted Iglesias to quit his well-paying cellphone salesman job.
—Olivia McCormack, Washington Post, 1 Apr. 2024
Noun
In this post-season glow, performing stand-up across the country, the two cast members were about to conjure two of their most popular characters on the show.
—Andy Hoglund, EW.com, 25 Mar. 2023
Kemp’s infectious smile and, by all accounts, stand-up status as a teammate put him on the list.
—James Yasko, Chron, 24 Mar. 2023
John Mulaney is making a comeback to stand-up with his latest special, John Mulaney: Baby J. (His last special was released five years ago in 2018.
—Amanda Curran, Glamour, 22 Mar. 2023
Amazon Prime Video's comedy that follows the life of a stand-up comedian in the 1960s will end with its fifth season, which premieres on April 14.
—Brendan Morrow, The Week, 20 Mar. 2023
Sandler did his first stand-up at 17 at an open mic in Boston.
—Geoff Edgers, Washington Post, 16 Mar. 2023
Rodgers said that Hawk suggested McAfee as an emergency fill-in for a golf tournament team, and McAfee agreed to do it even while in the midst of a stand-up comedy tour.
—Jr Radcliffe, Journal Sentinel, 15 Mar. 2023
President Zelensky, the most important person standing up for freedom, was a stand-up comic.
—Rob Tannenbaum, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2023
In addition, Laugh Out Loud Radio on SiriusXM will exclusively premiere Bernie Mac’s first-ever solo full-length stand-up album.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 15 Mar. 2023
Verb
The driver then stood up to hold onto the steering wheel, but the bus tipped onto two wheels.
—Charlotte Phillipp, Peoplemag, 7 Apr. 2024
All activities will be done standing up, and supplies and tools will be provided in addition to snacks, lunch and a bottle of water.
—Anne Gelhaus, The Mercury News, 7 Apr. 2024
That's the moment when, one recent evening, a climate activist stood up from his seat in the audience.
—Chloe Veltman, NPR, 5 Apr. 2024
While many Blue Stem forms have a hard time standing up in the garden, ‘Standing Ovation’ stands tall.
—Paul Cappiello, The Courier-Journal, 5 Apr. 2024
That sudden shift, Jain said, owes itself partly to the language of these new laws which would have previously struggled to stand up to legal scrutiny.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 3 Apr. 2024
One of the victims’ lawyers stood up and shouted that Erarslan should be kicked out of the courtroom.
—Leif Wenar, WIRED, 2 Apr. 2024
John stood up for the downtrodden, as cliché as that might sound.
—Gary Graff, Billboard, 2 Apr. 2024
Two companions soon stood up and began shouting about the perils of a warming planet.
—Zach Helfand, The New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stand-up.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near stand-up
Cite this Entry
“Stand-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stand-up. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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