What does "standing" mean?
Position or reputation in society or a profession.
Standing
/ˈstændɪŋ/ adj, name, noun, verb, slang
adj, name, noun, verb, slang ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Position or reputation in society or a profession.
- Grammar: standing is listed as adj, name, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: abeyant, abidingness, account, age.
- Useful contrasts: flowing, moving, working.
- Usage evidence: I can't work with you standing there.
How to use "standing"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "standing" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "standing" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "standing" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "standing" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "standing" is acting as adj, name, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "abeyant" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "standing", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Position or reputation in society or a profession. countable, figuratively, uncountable
"He does not have much of a standing as a chemist."
- 2 the act of assuming or maintaining an erect upright position wordnet
- 3 Duration. countable, uncountable
"a member of long standing"
- 4 an ordered listing of scores or results showing the relative positions of competitors (individuals or teams) in a sporting event wordnet
- 5 The act of a person who stands, or a place where someone stands. countable, uncountable
"Tech[elles]. I heare them come, ſhall wee encounter them? Tam[burlaine]. Keep all your ſtandings, and not ſtir a foot, Myſelfe will bide the danger of the brunt."
Show 5 more definitions
- 6 social or financial or professional status or reputation wordnet
- 7 The position of a team in a league or of a player in a list. countable, uncountable
"After their last win, their standing went up three places."
- 8 Room in which to park a vehicle or vehicles British, countable, uncountable
""There was no garage at Lathbury Road, but we had standing for two cars in front of the house.""
- 9 The right of a party to bring a legal action, based on the relationship between that party and the matter to which the action relates. countable, uncountable
"to have standing"
- 10 The location on a street where a market trader habitually operates. UK, countable, obsolete, slang, uncountable
Verb
- 1 present participle and gerund of stand form-of, gerund, participle, present
"So you punched out a window for ventilation. Was that before or after you noticed you were standing in a lake of gasoline?"
Adjective
- 1 Erect, not cut down. not-comparable
- 2 Performed from an erect position. not-comparable
"standing ovation"
- 3 Remaining in force or status. not-comparable
"standing committee"
- 4 Stagnant; not moving or flowing. not-comparable
"standing water"
- 5 Not transitory; not liable to fade or vanish; lasting. not-comparable
"a standing colour"
Show 1 more definition
- 6 Not movable; fixed. not-comparable
"a standing bed, distinguished from a trundle-bed"
Adjective
- 1 having a supporting base wordnet
- 2 (of persons) on the feet; having the torso in an erect position supported by straight legs wordnet
- 3 executed in or initiated from a standing position wordnet
- 4 (of fluids) not moving or flowing wordnet
- 5 not created for a particular occasion wordnet
Show 1 more definition
- 6 permanent wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
Example
"I can't work with you standing there."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "standing"?
Common synonyms include: abeyant, abidingness, account, age, angle, antiquity.
How do you use "standing" in a sentence?
I can't work with you standing there.
How do you pronounce "standing"?
Pronounced /ˈstændɪŋ/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English standynge, stondynge, standende, stondinde, standande, stondande, from Old English standende, stondende, from Proto-Germanic *standandz (“standing”), present participle of Proto-Germanic *standaną (“to stand”), equivalent to stand + -ing.
Etymology 2
From Middle English standyng, stonding, stondung, from Old English *standung, equivalent to stand + -ing.