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stand up to

B2 neutral inseparable transitive
In simple words

To be brave and face a powerful or scary person directly, or to stay strong under pressure.

Meanings

1 B1 idiomatic neutral

To bravely confront or resist someone who has power or who is threatening or intimidating.

"It takes courage to stand up to a bully, but it is always the right thing to do."

"You've got to stand up to what you know is wrong."

— Malala Yousafzai, I Am Malala (2013)
Grammar: inseparable
2 B2 idiomatic neutral

To remain undamaged, valid, or effective under difficult conditions or close examination.

"This old hiking jacket has stood up to years of rough weather without falling apart."

Grammar: inseparable
Usage notes

Very common in everyday and political English. The object is typically a person or group in authority (a bully, a dictator, a boss). Also used for non-human subjects to describe durability or resilience.

Commonly used with

bully pressure boss scrutiny abuse dictator

Forms

Base
stand up to
I/you/we/they
3rd person
stands up to
he/she/it
Past simple
stood up to
yesterday
Past participle
stood up to
have + pp
-ing form
standing up to
continuous

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Synonyms

confront face up to challenge resist defy withstand

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