stand by
To stay with someone and support them, or to be ready and waiting.
Meanings
To remain loyal to a person or continue to support them, especially in difficult times.
"Her friends stood by her throughout the entire court case."
"I'll stand by you, no matter what they say."
— Ben E. King, 'Stand by Me' (song, 1961)
To continue to support or refuse to change a previous statement, decision, or promise.
"The minister stood by her earlier comments despite widespread criticism."
To be ready and waiting to act or help when needed.
"Emergency crews are standing by in case the storm causes flooding tonight."
"Standby for breaking news."
— Common broadcast journalism phrase, widely used by CNN, BBC, etc.
To watch something wrong happen without taking action to stop it.
"We cannot stand by and do nothing while the environment is being destroyed."
Used in aviation and military contexts to mean 'be ready' (e.g., 'Standby for takeoff'). Also very common in everyday contexts to mean loyalty. 'Stand by your guns' is a related idiom meaning to maintain your position.
Commonly used with
Forms
Understand "stand by" better
Real video examples
Video examples are being collected. Check back soon.
Synonyms
Want to master this phrasal verb?
Practice "stand by" on Looplines