UPSTANDING Synonyms: 116 Similar and Opposite Words

upstanding

adjective

ˌəp-ˈstan-diŋ

Definition of upstanding

as in honorable

following the accepted rules of moral conduct a fine, upstanding woman who deserves to be nominated to the state's highest court

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in vertical

rising straight up not a single wall remained upstanding after the tornado had passed

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of upstanding However, that would change in the 1960s when the countercultural movement became the new enemy of all upstanding, tax-paying citizens. — Literary Hub, 29 July 2026 But did Spilotro go about life as an upstanding model citizen who rubbed elbows with the Vegas elite, while quietly and stealthily protecting the Mafia's financial interests in Vegas casinos? — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 23 June 2026 There’s a striking tension between Hildebrand’s status as one of the country’s most prolific polluters and his otherwise conventional life as a God-fearing, upstanding Texas businessman. — Alex Cuadros, ProPublica, 16 June 2026 In the original film, Peck stars as a decent family man and an upstanding member of the community, not far removed from Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird, a role Peck had played that same year. — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 5 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for upstanding

Recent Examples of Synonyms for upstanding

Adjective

Central to the exhibition is the tension between the honorable and the immoral, the appealing and the revolting.

— News Desk, Artforum, 12 Oct. 2026
Dealing with the British, his Tenzing is scrupulous and honorable, but don’t confuse that with subservience.

— Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of honorable

Adjective

It has since been lifted to a vertical position and moved inside the bay alongside three other Ship upper stages still under assembly.

— Josh Dinner, Space.com, 14 Oct. 2026
The cover lifts up and back, exposing the build platform, resin tank, and vertical motion system with generous access from the front and sides.

— Michael Lydick, PC Magazine, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of vertical

Adjective

Jones turned in a yeoman's effort, going 22-35 for 155 passing yards and two touchdowns while also keeping the Longhorn defense honest with his legs.

— Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
In McDonnell, his supporters say, the mayor has an honest and principled leader who has managed to steady a department beset by low morale, dwindling staffing levels and aging facilities.

— Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of honest

Adjective

Cringe names our ethical recognition of the stakes of emptying out these words.

— Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
But Craig Holman, a lobbyist with the government accountability nonprofit advocacy group Public Citizen, told the AP that Marshall’s actions raised ethical red flags.

— Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of ethical

Adjective

For 26 years, Ecuador has remained immune from the plague of a currency crisis and has sustained respectable economic growth, low inflation, and surging exports.

— Steve H. Hanke, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2026
Neither release became a theatrical phenomenon, but each earned more than $40 million worldwide — suggesting even mediocre horror films can get respectable returns when their premises are appealing enough.

— Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of respectable

Adjective

Church officials say the new burial plots would be designed to blend into the landscape, with flat, ground-level markers rather than traditional upright headstones.

— Jennifer McLogan, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
The master bedroom is nearby and has enough headroom to stand upright thanks to its position on the ground floor.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of upright

Browse Nearby Words

upsides

upstanding

upstart

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“Upstanding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upstanding. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of upstanding

adjective

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