Stand out meaning
Stand out means to be very easy to see or notice. It can also mean to be much better than other similar people or things.
stand out
stand out · stood · standing
His bright yellow coat really stood out in the crowd.
Stand out meanings and examples
2 meanings, each with its own CEFR level from Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries and the Cambridge Dictionary.
-
1
Be very easy to see or notice
stand out
- His bright yellow coat really stood out in the crowd.
- Use red so the title stands out.
- She doesn’t like to stand out. She’s quite shy.
-
2
Be much better than other similar people or things
stand out
- Her essay stood out from all the others.
- What makes your hotel stand out?
- Only one candidate really stood out in the interviews.
Café orders
New friends
At the airport
Slova
Use stand out in real conversations
- Learn new words with picture cards
- Talk with Felix, an AI tutor, about the things you love
- Short lessons at your level, a few minutes a day
Is stand out separable?
Stand out has no object. Use from or against for the others or the background: stand out from the crowd, stand out against the sky.
The adjective and noun is standout, one word: a standout player, the standout of the show. Stand out a mile (UK, informal) means be very obvious.
Verb tenses for stand out
| Present | I stand out · she stands out |
|---|---|
| Past | stood out |
| Present perfect | have stood out |
| -ing form | standing out |
Common mistakes with stand out
What learners often say, and what to say instead.
Wrong: You need to stand out of the other candidates.
Right: You need to stand out from the other candidates.
Use from, not of. Stand out of the way means move away.
Wrong: This colour stands out the room.
Right: This colour stands out in the room.
Stand out has no object. Add in for the place.
Wrong: She stood up from the crowd because she was so tall.
Right: She stood out from the crowd because she was so tall.
Stand up means get on your feet. Stand out means be easy to notice.
Synonyms and opposites of stand out
Words close to it, and words that mean the opposite.
Similar
- be noticeablebe easy to see; less strong than stand out
- shinebe very good at something: She shines in maths
- show offtry to get attention on purpose
Opposite
- fit inbe like the others and feel part of a group
- blend inlook the same as the things around you
Stand out quiz
Three quick questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why.
-
1The one green house really ___ on a street of grey houses.
Stand out means be easy to see.
-
2Choose the right sentence.
Use stand out from before the others.
-
3A recruiter says, “Your CV needs to stand out.” What does she mean?
Here stand out means be better and easy to notice.
More phrasal verbs with stand
3 phrasal verbs start with stand. Test yourself on all of them in a few minutes.
Stand out FAQ
Questions people ask about stand out.
What does stand out from the crowd mean?
It means be different or better than other people, so people notice you. A good photo helps your profile stand out from the crowd.
What does standout mean?
Standout, one word, describes the best one in a group: the standout song on the album. It can also be a noun: She was the standout of the team.
Is stand out good or bad?
Usually good, when it means better. It can be neutral or a worry for shy people: I don’t want to stand out.
Use stand out in real conversations
In Slova you learn new words with picture cards, then use them when you talk about the things you love. A few minutes a day, at your level.