stand-in

1 of 2

noun

Synonyms of stand-innext
1
: someone employed to occupy an actor's place while lights and camera are readied
2

stand in

2 of 2

verb

stood in; standing in; stands in

intransitive verb

: to act as a stand-in
see also:

Examples of stand-in in a Sentence

Noun hired him at the last minute as a stand-in for the person who quit Verb she will be standing in for the regular teacher for a week
Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
Visual effects costs, for example, would be cut by 50%, with savings reaching 70% for background actors and stand-ins. Dade Hayes, Deadline, 1 Apr. 2026 The comedy often leans on innuendo, turning the pickle into a stand-in for something risqué. Literary Hub, 31 Mar. 2026
Verb
As people packed every pew inside Holy Name Cathedral for Easter Mass on Sunday night, there were dozens of people left standing in the back. Marissa Sulek, CBS News, 6 Apr. 2026 Such local sites focus on a small group of people who happened to live in a certain place at a certain time—and who, for that fleeting moment, came to stand in for the dilemmas of the nation at large. Beverly Gage, The Atlantic, 5 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for stand-in

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1929, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1904, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stand-in was in 1904

Browse Nearby Words

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stand-in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stand-in. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

stand-in

1 of 2 noun
ˈstan-ˌdin
1
: someone employed to occupy an actor's place while lights and camera are readied
2

stand in

2 of 2 verb
(ˈ)stan-ˈdin
: to act as a stand-in
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