stand the test of time

verb

To remain useful or valued over a long period of time; to last a long time.

“Pop music comes and goes, but classical music has stood the test of time.”

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Meanings

verbstand the test of time (third-person singular simple present stands the test of time, present participle standing the test of time, simple past and past participle stood the test of time)

present singular third person stands the test of time · participle present standing the test of time · participle past stood the test of time · past stood the test of time

  1. idiomaticTo remain useful or valued over a long period of time; to last a long time.

    Pop music comes and goes, but classical music has stood the test of time.

    1 more example

    The urban myth of the sun shining through Box Tunnel on Brunel's birthday may have been knocked on the head, but in its portal facing designs he created structures which have stood the test of time well.

    2020 August 26, Tim Dunn, “Great railway bores of our time!”, in Rail, page 46

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 经得起时间考验
  • 经得起时间考验 (jīngdeqǐ shíjiān kǎoyàn)remain useful over a long period
Dutch de tand des tijds doorstaan
  • de tand des tijds doorstaanremain useful over a long period
Finnish kestää aikaa
  • kestää aikaaremain useful over a long period
German die Zeiten überdauern
  • die Zeiten überdauernremain useful over a long period
Hungarian kiállja az idő próbáját
  • kiállja az idő próbájátremain useful over a long period
Italian resistere alle ingiurie del tempo
  • resistere alle ingiurie del temporemain useful over a long period
Polish przetrwać próbę czasu
  • przetrwać próbę czasuremain useful over a long period
Russian выдерживать испытание временем, выдержать испытание временем
  • выдерживать испытание временем (vyderživatʹ ispytanije vremenem)remain useful over a long period
  • выдержать испытание временем (vyderžatʹ ispytanije vremenem)remain useful over a long period
Spanish perdurar la probatura del tiempo, perdurar la probatura temporal
  • perdurar la probatura del tiemporemain useful over a long period
  • perdurar la probatura temporalremain useful over a long period
Cite this entry
APA

stand the test of time. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/stand%20the%20test%20of%20time

MLA

“stand the test of time.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/stand%20the%20test%20of%20time. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “stand the test of time,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/stand%20the%20test%20of%20time.

Source: stand the test of time on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.