stand-in

1 of 2

noun

ˈstand-ˌin How to pronounce stand-in (audio)
Synonyms of stand-innext
1
: someone employed to occupy an actor's place while lights and camera are readied
2
: substitute

stand in

2 of 2

verb

stood in; standing in; stands in

intransitive verb

: to act as a stand-in
see also:
stand in with

Synonyms of stand-in

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Noun

Verb

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

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
Meanwhile, second-unit director Peter Ramsey worked alongside stunt performers, with some creature interactions achieved through surprisingly simple physical stand-ins. — Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026 Los Angeles led the way as a stand-in for everything and everywhere. — Deputy Managing Editor, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
Verb
Vintage photos show the Dior boutique from 1955 and Christian Dior’s sister Catherine standing in a field of roses. — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026 That rare show of unity among rivals stands in sharp contrast with Thiel’s view that the push to slow AI down is not caution but something closer to evil. — Sasha Tuddenham, Fortune, 15 Oct. 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

Rhymes for stand-in

See All Rhymes for stand-in

Browse Nearby Words

standholder
stand-in
stand in
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stand-in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stand-in. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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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
: substitute entry 1

stand in

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