1 A2 informal
To remain in a place doing nothing in particular; to be idle.
"Stop standing around and help me carry these boxes inside!"
inseparable
stand around
A2 informal inseparable intransitive
To remain in a place without doing anything useful or productive.
In plain English
To just stay somewhere and not do anything.
What does "stand around" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 A2 neutral
To gather or wait in a group in a place, without a clear purpose.
"A group of teenagers were standing around outside the cinema, trying to decide what to do."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To stand in the area around a place — mostly transparent.
Actually means
To just stay somewhere and not do anything.
Usage tip
Frequently used with a slightly impatient or critical tone, implying that the people involved should be doing something more useful. Common in everyday spoken English.
Words that pair with "stand around"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
waiting doing nothing watching idly all day outside
How to conjugate "stand around"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
stand around
I/you/we/they
3rd person
stands around
he/she/it
Past simple
stood around
yesterday
Past participle
stood around
have + pp
-ing form
standing around
continuous
Hear "stand around" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "stand around" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "stand around"
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Keep exploring
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