as in keeps (to)
to give steadfast support to
no matter how much people object, I will stand by my decision
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Recent Examples of stands by
Mitchell stands by the Parker family as Matt's employee and friend, Stitch.
—
Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
Swift stands by The Life of a Showgirl, and said that conversations about its lasting resonance complement the record's core ideas.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Oct. 2025
In a particularly poignant moment in the film, Jiang stands by the window at night and pretends to capture and punch the shadow of a security guard downstairs.
—Yangyang Cheng, NPR, 4 Oct. 2025
An armed law enforcement officer stands by as people (R) arrive for the public memorial service for right-wing activist Charlie Kirk at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on September 21, 2025.
—Amanda Castro
mandy Taheri
peter Aitken, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Sep. 2025
Vikander, whose father is a psychiatrist in Sweden who advises on gender confirmation surgery, stands by it.
—Sarah Crompton, Vogue, 19 Aug. 2025
Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
Swift stands by The Life of a Showgirl, and said that conversations about its lasting resonance complement the record's core ideas.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Oct. 2025
In a particularly poignant moment in the film, Jiang stands by the window at night and pretends to capture and punch the shadow of a security guard downstairs.
—Yangyang Cheng, NPR, 4 Oct. 2025
An armed law enforcement officer stands by as people (R) arrive for the public memorial service for right-wing activist Charlie Kirk at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on September 21, 2025.
—Amanda Castro
mandy Taheri
peter Aitken, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Sep. 2025
Vikander, whose father is a psychiatrist in Sweden who advises on gender confirmation surgery, stands by it.
—Sarah Crompton, Vogue, 19 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stands by
defends
Verb
-
Israel's prison service defends its treatment, but human rights groups report serious abuses.—
Greg Myre,
NPR,
13 Oct. 2025
-
Carrie is in love with Richard, defends him, and even punishes Laura by starving her for multiple days.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stands by.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stands%20by. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
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