stand out

present singular third person stands out · participle present standing out · participle past stood out · past stood out

1. To jut out, protrude (from a surface etc.).First known use 14th c.

   Synonyms: obtrude, outstand, stick out, stick out like a sore thumb

2. intransitiveTo persist in opposition or resistance (against something); to refuse to comply (with someone).First known use 16th c.
3. intransitivenauticalTo sail in a direction away from shore.First known use 17th c.

   The next day the breeze freshened and the Ibis duly stood out to sea.

   2008, Amitav Ghosh, Sea of Poppies, Penguin, published 2015, page 23

   2 more examples

   One morning in the early grey of the dawn we stood out to sea to troll for mackerel.

   1881, P. Chr. Asbjörnsen [i.e., Peter Christen Asbjørnsen], translated by H. L. Brækstad, Round the Yule Log. Norwegian Folk and Fairy Tales, London: Sampson Low, Marston, Searle, & Rivington, →OCLC, page 181

   Indeed he had no notion that Madame de Seidlits, or her daughter, had a serious intention of standing out against a match which he thought so advantageous to both.

   1789, John Moore, Zeluco, Valancourt, published 2008, page 131

4. obsoleteTo maintain, to persist in claiming (that).First known use 17th–20th c.

   She stood out that she was not Edward's mistress until Leonora said that she had seen Edwrad coming out of her room at an advanced hour of the night.

   1915, Ford Madox Hueffer [i.e., Ford Madox Ford], chapter IV, in The Good Soldier […], London: John Lane, The Bodley Head; New York, N.Y.: John Lane Company, →OCLC

5. intransitiveTo be clearly distinguishable; to be obvious, to be easily noticeable, in contrast to the surroundings.First known use 19th c.

   Tourist guides often carry umbrellas so that they stand out in a crowd.

   3 more examples

   The path led straight across the clearing into another forest, lying upon the verge of which I saw a bit of white. It appeared to stand out in marked contrast and incongruity to all its surroundings, and when I stopped to examine it, I found that it was a small strip of muslin—part of the hem of a garment.

   1918 September–November, Edgar Rice Burroughs, “The Land That Time Forgot”, in The Blue Book Magazine, Chicago, Ill.: Story-press Corp., →OCLC; republished as chapter VIII, in Hugo Gernsback, editor, Amazing Stories, (please specify |part=I to III), New York, N.Y.: Experimenter Publishing, 1927, →OCLC

   At Stirling, we obtained a wonderful silhouette view of the Wallace Monument, and the dark line of the Ochil Hills, and the castle stood out clearly against the afterglow of the sunset.

   1950 January, Arthur F. Beckenham, “With British Railways to the Far North”, in Railway Magazine, page 5

   A ray of light amid all this nonsense was Gwyn Topham's piece in the Guardian, which was timely, measured, accurate and of appropriate tone. That this single report stood out so clearly as an exemplar is a scathing comment in itself on the volumes of drivel surrounding it.

   2020 August 26, Nigel Harris, “Comment Special: Catastrophe at Carmont”, in Rail, page 4

6. intransitiveTo be prominent or conspicuous; to have special significance.First known use 19th c.

   She stood out from the other candidates and was offered the job.

   3 more examples

   The Scottish midfielder had an impressive game for Villa and his passing and vision stood out throughout.

   2011 October 1, John Sinnott, “Aston Villa 2 – 0 Wigan”, in BBC Sport, archived from the original on 22 Mar 2017

   It is time the international community faced the reality: we have an unmanageable, unfair, distortionary global tax regime. It is a tax system that is pivotal in creating the increasing inequality that marks most advanced countries today – with America standing out in the forefront and the UK not far behind.

   2013 June 7, Joseph Stiglitz, “Globalisation is about taxes too”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 188, number 26, archived from the original on 06 Jan 2021, page 19

   As an art-oriented teen, she played the flute, guitar and wrote poetry. Amy was also a practising vegetarian at the time, which made her stand out, and she volunteered with a local dolphin training program at the Miami Seaquarium.

   2026 July 29, Nicholas Muhoro, “Amy Billig Vanished While Hitchhiking Through Coconut Grove. Then the Calls Began”, in Skip Boring, archived from the original on 31 Jul 2026