standout

1 of 2

noun

stand·​out ˈstand-ˌau̇t How to pronounce standout (audio)
often attributive
: one that is prominent or conspicuous especially because of excellence

stand out

2 of 2

verb

stood out; standing out; stands out

intransitive verb

1
a
: to appear as if in relief : project
b
: to be prominent or conspicuous
stands out from the crowd
2
: to steer away from shore
3
: to be stubborn in resolution or resistance

Examples of standout in a Sentence

Noun She is a standout among the available candidates. All the cameras we tested were good, but there was no real standout. Verb the relief figures stand out from the wall quite strikingly
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Murrieta Valley 10, Great Oak 5: Julian Treadwell had three hits and football standout Bear Bachmeier contributed an RBI triple. Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2024 In this season 8 standout, the Simpson clan leaves Springfield behind when Homer gets a new job at the Globex Corporation — a mysterious mega-company run by friendly-seeming ginger Hank Scorpio (Albert Brooks, giving his best Simpsons guest performance). EW.com, 18 Mar. 2024 Milk powder is the standout ingredient that sets it apart from the rest. Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appétit, 15 Mar. 2024 Indeed, even the two standout hires on the market — José Mourinho and Rafael Benítez — came with caveats. Rory Smith, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2024 With 36 staff to a maximum 56 guests, the service is a standout. Alex Greggery, Robb Report, 7 Mar. 2024 Those four standouts each have a cap hit of $32 million or more for 2024, led by Mack at $38,517,500. Elliott Teaford, Orange County Register, 5 Mar. 2024 There are more than 70 varieties, and collection standouts include Awanui, a flowering cherry from New Zealand that’s rare in the United States, and Kojo-no-mai, known for its twisty branches. Tim Meko, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024 She's been a standout on Broadway over the years, in breakthrough performances in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Glass Menagerie, The Cherry Orchard, Peter and The Starcatcher and Les Misérables. Dave Quinn, Peoplemag, 7 Mar. 2024
Verb
The design instantly stood out when it was released in 1999, thanks to an unexpected use of ceramic. Alexis Bennett Parker, Vogue, 13 Mar. 2024 For Cameron Getty, an assistant photo editor at WIRED, the peculiar zipper stood out as a major red flag. Reece Rogers, WIRED, 12 Mar. 2024 Liberty Tax stands out as one of the top tax relief companies due to its ability to help individuals completely avoid debt through services such as free tax return reviews, online and in-person filing support, and much more. Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 12 Mar. 2024 While any kind of protein powder is a healthy, affordable and convenient addition to your diet, whey protein, a byproduct of strained milk, stands out. Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 10 Mar. 2024 March Depositions Though suits pitting condo owners against developers over construction defects have become common in recent years, the war at 443 Greenwich stands out for the prominence of its residents, the amount the board is seeking and how far the suit has progressed. Ethan M Steinberg, Fortune, 9 Mar. 2024 Guests including Sessa and Gwyneth Paltrow followed the night's all-black theme, while Stone, 64, stood out wearing a brown leather jacket over black tights. Esme Mazzeo, Peoplemag, 9 Mar. 2024 Serena Oberstein for City Council District 12 There are only two candidates in this race and Oberstein, the nonprofit executive and former president of the L.A. City Ethics Commission, stands out. Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2024 There were a couple of tracks that were really great, and one of them stood out because of the unique sounds. Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'standout.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1915, in the meaning defined above

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of standout was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near standout

Cite this Entry

“Standout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/standout. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

standout

1 of 2 noun
stand·​out ˈstan-ˌdau̇t How to pronounce standout (audio)
: one that is well-known or outstanding especially because of excellence

stand out

2 of 2 verb
(ˈ)stan-ˈdau̇t
1
: to stick out from a surface : project
2
: to be easily seen or recognized

More from Merriam-Webster on standout

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!