as in flies
to withstand scrutiny and gain acceptance or approval
a hypothesis that won't stand up to close analysis
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Recent Examples of stands up
The juicy dark meat stands up to the creaminess of the sauce.
—
Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 May 2026
Flowering in vibrant red, purple, or pink blooms (depending on the species), beebalm stands up to four feet tall, making a statement at the back of beds and borders.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 3 May 2026
In front of a large crowd, the rapper stands up before launching into a song.
—Dan Raby, CBS News, 13 Apr. 2026
Ivan Reitman One of the most beloved movies of all time, the original Ghostbusters still stands up as the best in the series … by far.
—Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 11 Apr. 2026
Elphaba stands up against the corrupt Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) while the frenemies evolve their relationship and sing a lot in an unexpectedly relevant fantasy flick about standing up for what’s right.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 27 Mar. 2026
After a minute, Sarah stands up, red-faced.
—Gerald Witt, AJC.com, 1 Mar. 2026
Equipped with an anti-theft ReturnMe tag, chair-lock loop, and RFID protection, this ergonomic travel bag stands up to sneaky pickpockets.
—Destinee Scott, Travel + Leisure, 23 Feb. 2026
The paddles seem to really make a difference in aeration to get foam that stands up.
—Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 2 Oct. 2025
Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 May 2026
Flowering in vibrant red, purple, or pink blooms (depending on the species), beebalm stands up to four feet tall, making a statement at the back of beds and borders.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 3 May 2026
In front of a large crowd, the rapper stands up before launching into a song.
—Dan Raby, CBS News, 13 Apr. 2026
Ivan Reitman One of the most beloved movies of all time, the original Ghostbusters still stands up as the best in the series … by far.
—Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 11 Apr. 2026
Elphaba stands up against the corrupt Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) while the frenemies evolve their relationship and sing a lot in an unexpectedly relevant fantasy flick about standing up for what’s right.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 27 Mar. 2026
After a minute, Sarah stands up, red-faced.
—Gerald Witt, AJC.com, 1 Mar. 2026
Equipped with an anti-theft ReturnMe tag, chair-lock loop, and RFID protection, this ergonomic travel bag stands up to sneaky pickpockets.
—Destinee Scott, Travel + Leisure, 23 Feb. 2026
The paddles seem to really make a difference in aeration to get foam that stands up.
—Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 2 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stands up
Verb
-
Roughly a mile away as the crow flies is the site of what once was known as Mills College, which was a private, four-year liberal-arts college for women.—
Jay Caspian Kang,
New Yorker,
19 May 2026
-
One drone flies right above our heads.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
Everyone who works with him, their salary goes up, the writers, the producers.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
19 May 2026
-
Public Counsel, a pro bono law firm in Los Angeles that works with low-income communities and vendors, is also working with coalitions and the city of Inglewood to ask that vendors be included in economic opportunities at the games and people in the area without legal status be protected.—
Marlene Lenthang,
NBC news,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
It’s prized for sculpting a high-definition lip that holds up under the harshest red-carpet lighting.—
Micaela English,
Glamour,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Parking, Passes and the Resort Math Standard parking is $25 per day for a regular-sized car, and the lot holds up to 10,000 cars.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stands up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stands%20up. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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