How to Use standby in a Sentence

standby

1 of 4 noun
  • More police officers were sent as standbys.
  • We bought an electric generator as a standby.
  • The old standbys are still there.
    — Miami Herald, 19 Dec. 2025
  • The old mac and cheese was a favorite, a standby.
    — Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 8 Jan. 2026
  • These stretchy standbys aren’t just for downward dog these days.
    — Hillary Maglin, Travel + Leisure, 19 Apr. 2022
  • Old standbys have been reborn, too.
    — Staff Author, Travel + Leisure, 8 June 2026
  • And the old standby—socks—are sought by 33 percent.
    — Catherine Salfino, Sourcing Journal, 31 Oct. 2025
  • Claire Saffitz’s recipe is my standby.
    — Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 18 Oct. 2025
  • Our choice today is Earl Grey, an old standby.
    — Ed Silverman, STAT, 11 May 2026
  • Search crews on standby at the Elbert School.
    — Jennifer McRae, CBS News, 16 Dec. 2025
  • Glover sent in two civil-disturbance units and kept a third on standby.
    — Peter Hermann, Anchorage Daily News, 15 Jan. 2021
  • The bride and groom had a Range Rover on standby in case the tractor broke down.
    — Maureen MacKey, Fox News, 16 July 2023
  • Golf carts are always on standby to transport guests throughout.
    — Terry Ward, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Dec. 2025
  • One of the old 'lucky to be down just 11' quarters for the Celtics, an old standby.
    — Nicole Yang, BostonGlobe.com, 14 June 2022
  • On-site concierge services are on standby to help travelers map out their ideal stay.
    — Asa Canty, Travel + Leisure, 8 Jan. 2026
  • Spring’s touring theater productions are a mix of old standbys and new shows.
    — Scott Hocker, TheWeek, 18 Mar. 2026
  • The officers have a shift schedule in place and a vet on standby to make sure their mounts don’t overheat.
    — Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 27 Mar. 2026
  • Nancy’s serves seafood shack standbys and Mediterranean fare right on the harbor.
    — Remy Tumin, New York Times, 29 June 2023
  • From cozy cashmere knitwear to fine-gauge standbys from Vince and Iro, there are tons of goodies.
    — Kristina Rutkowski, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2025
  • Our choice today is English breakfast, an old standby.
    — Ed Silverman, STAT, 18 May 2026
  • Heat and food sources have been placed throughout the store to draw her out and a veterinarian is on standby.
    — Neelam Bohra and Christina Zdanowicz, CNN, 7 July 2021
  • Water rescue teams and air rescue teams will remain on standby through the weekend.
    — Ryanne Mena, Oc Register, 30 Dec. 2025
  • With guns in hand and police dog on standby, officers make their way up the stairs to the suspect and handcuff him.
    — David Hernandez, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Apr. 2022
  • Clerks would not start counting same-day votes until polls closed, leaving a huge number of ballots on standby.
    — Philip Elliott, Time, 4 Mar. 2026
  • This striking crimson suit is one of the princess’s standbys for significant events.
    — Erin Vanderhoof, Vanity Fair, 16 Jan. 2026
  • HPs tout faster standby-to-print speeds and have lower power-saving settings.
    — Popsci Commerce Team, Popular Science, 24 Feb. 2021
  • Readers chose plenty of old standbys, but a few impressive upstarts are also on the hot list.
    — Robert F. Moss, Southern Living, 12 Mar. 2026
  • Teams remained on standby Wednesday and Thursday as storms moved through.
    — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 22 Feb. 2026
  • City workers have been gearing up for days, with additional staff on standby to respond to the storm.
    — Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 26 Dec. 2025
  • As far as countertop appliances go, the toaster oven is a classic standby that has been around for decades.
    — Laura Denby, Peoplemag, 4 Nov. 2022

standby

2 of 4 adjective
  • What if the standby note is just that?
    — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 4 Oct. 2025
  • If there is a show, then the standby line process will be in motion.
    — Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 11 Mar. 2026
  • Wear it now with knits and keep it on standby for breezy spring travel days.
    — Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 6 Feb. 2026
  • Or Helm didn’t care; Helm was just on standby.
    — Literary Hub, 3 Nov. 2025
  • Quick calls to seniors on a standby list had those gone in minutes.
    — Jeremy Olson, Star Tribune, 11 Feb. 2021
  • Jaden Rashada is on standby, ready to go.
    — Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 25 Sep. 2025
  • The event is sold out, but standby tickets are available on-site.
    — R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
  • And someone’s always on standby, just a call away.
    — Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2025
  • The run is now sold out, but standby tickets are available via the website.
    — San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Feb. 2022
  • Free advance tickets are required, and there will be no standby list.
    — Washington Post, 23 July 2021
  • Richard Lui has for many years been on standby as an anchor during these time slots.
    — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 26 June 2026
  • The first is to wait in the traditional standby line.
    — Megan Dubois, Southern Living, 4 May 2026
  • Such a gathering is, of course, a standby setup of stage and screen, alike.
    — ABC News, 24 June 2026
  • While the screenings are already sold out, there will be standby lines available.
    — Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 5 Jan. 2024
  • In the case of last-minute withdrawals, alternate teams are on standby.
    — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2025
  • The clinic did not return messages about its standby process.
    — Emily Woodruff, NOLA.com, 16 Jan. 2021
  • Charging takes about three hours and the battery can last up to 20 hours in standby mode.
    — Gregg Ellman, Star Tribune, 7 July 2021
  • Auto standby mode kicks in when the A-3s are not in use for five minutes.
    — Gregg Ellman, Star Tribune, 17 Mar. 2021
  • Probably best just to set your brains to standby mode and focus on the fireworks.
    — Peter Debruge, Variety, 26 Sep. 2023
  • Better safe than sorry, dive teams and boats were on standby in case of emergency.
    — Dan Gelston, ajc, 9 Aug. 2021
  • Vice President Vance will not join them but is on standby.
    — The Hill Staff, The Hill, 24 Apr. 2026
  • The health system is on standby, people and resources are on call and supply chains are stocked.
    — Matthew Brockett, Bloomberg.com, 15 Dec. 2020
  • One of the senior gulf officials said the Houthis were on standby, ready to act.
    — Andrea Mitchell, NBC news, 19 Mar. 2026
  • Refrigerated trucks were on standby, ready to store the dead.
    — Brian Melley, Anchorage Daily News, 2 Jan. 2021
  • In-person standby line in Central Park.
    — Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2025
  • The ride doesn’t have a typical standby line, and spots in the virtual queue go quickly on busy days.
    — Valerie Marino, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 June 2019
  • Many missed their flights and scrambled to book later flights or add themselves to standby lists that were already dozens of names long.
    — Seung Min Kim, Arkansas Online, 23 Mar. 2026
  • Typhoons are constantly on standby, ready to scramble to any threats coming from the north.
    — Alan Crawford, Bloomberg, 20 Apr. 2026
  • There were extra emergency crews on standby and more lifeguards on duty.
    — Joan Murray, CBS News, 12 Apr. 2026
  • In standby mode, the élégante will stay running for a staggering 18 years.
    — Carol Besler, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024

standby

3 of 4 adverb
  • Chicken has long been a weekend standby, but this recipe adds a kick of flavor to the old faithful.
    — Jenna Sims, Southern Living, 14 May 2026
  • These days, hardly anyone is aware of the scientific reasoning behind this playground standby.
    — Luke D. Fannin, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Feb. 2023
  • Flying standby on the same day and putting frequent flier miles back into loyalty accounts are becoming free benefits, too.
    — Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Dec. 2020
  • All customers with flights scheduled for Wednesday may rebook or fly standby within 14 days of their original travel dates without paying any extra fees.
    — Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2023
  • Alaska Airlines only allows certain tickets to fly standby, including refundable main cabin tickets and first class tickets.
    — Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 18 Sep. 2020
  • The new policy was announced Sunday, along with another significant change – United travelers can now fly standby for free on flights departing the day of their travel.
    — Susan Glaser, cleveland, 31 Aug. 2020
  • Enough battery life for more than three hours of walking (or more than 20 hours on standby) isn’t bad, and the Vision 60 is sealed against sand and dust, and can survive complete submergence in shallow water.
    — IEEE Spectrum, 11 Dec. 2025
  • Allied Pilots Association spokesman Dennis Tajer said there is also an unusually high number of pilots working standby in recent months.
    — Kyle Arnold, chicagotribune.com, 3 Sep. 2020
  • Silver status grants access to the Priority Reservations Waitlist (a waitlist to get a seat in a higher class) and gives travelers higher priority when flying standby.
    — Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 25 Mar. 2023
  • Some Democrats are also now calling for the immigration officer involved in the shooting to face legal action, and Walz has the Minnesota National Guard on standby as protests arise.
    — Sarah Davis, The Hill, 8 Jan. 2026
  • According to the JetBlue website, customers with travel planned between September 5 and September 17 can rebook or travel standby without paying additional fees.
    — Natasha Bach, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2017
  • The city has over 2,000 tons of salt, 16 salt trucks and 6 or more plows on standby, said Scott Morgan, Director of Memphis Public Works and Infrastructure Support.
    — Jack Armstrong, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 23 Jan. 2026

stand by

4 of 4 verb
  • Some friends stood by me, though.
    — Abigail Van Buren, Boston Herald, 18 Mar. 2026
  • Know your worth, plus tax and stand by it.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 3 Apr. 2026
  • Black no longer stands by his notes on the script.
    — Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 5 Jan. 2026
  • The best friends stand by us through good times and the pits.
    — Eric Thomas, Sun Sentinel, 2 Jan. 2025
  • And even then some people stood by him.
    — John Cassidy, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
  • The video opens with one of the friends standing by the bed.
    — Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
  • But Amell stands by the ending.
    — Randall Colburn, EW.com, 26 Aug. 2025
  • Then, give the pot a good shake, turn the heat to medium, and stand by.
    — Beth Segal, cleveland, 5 Nov. 2020
  • Hamas is ready to stand by those conditions now.
    — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Let me be caught by any who stay standing by watching.
    — Mary Jo Bang, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
  • Clark and many of the others stand by their actions.
    — Ella Lee, The Hill, 22 Apr. 2026
  • The mayor stood by nurses on the first day of their strike.
    — Aziza Shuler, CBS News, 21 Jan. 2026
  • Make your decision and stand by it.
    — R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026
  • Now is the time to open our arms and stand by them, their wives, and their children.
    — Florent Groberg, Time, 15 June 2021
  • Jelly Roll's wife will stand by her man through thick and thin.
    — Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 28 Sep. 2025
  • There are friends, but then there are friends that stand the test of time and that stand by your side.
    — Emily Burack, Town & Country, 3 May 2022
  • The president has, so far, stood by them, though.
    — Domenico Montanaro, NPR, 3 Jan. 2026
  • Her grandson stood by her side thirsty for water, but there was none.
    — Aya Batrawy, NPR, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Mills, however, has stood by the ads.
    — Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Either way, we'll be tuned in and standing by to see how this plays out.
    — Giana Levy, refinery29.com, 29 Oct. 2024
  • Coby, who was standing by, spoke first.
    — Chandler Fritz, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
  • So many knew this was going on for years, yet stood by and didn’t do anything.
    — Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 May 2024
  • Waiters stood by and served champagne.
    — Lila Shroff, The Atlantic, 20 Dec. 2025
  • Leave the bark in place and stand by to see how the tree leafs out over the next couple of weeks.
    — Neil Sperry, San Antonio Express-News, 18 Mar. 2022
  • Her plan might be to stand by other than idly and still sleep the sleep of the righteous.
    — Mike Kerrigan, WSJ, 4 June 2021
  • The scoop and level method is what our Test Kitchen stands by.
    — Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 9 Feb. 2025
  • And a colleague of mine standing by here in the studio with me.
    — Abc News, ABC News, 7 Jan. 2025
  • And there will be little Biden can do beyond stand by and watch.
    — Doyle McManus, Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2025
  • Bloomfield said the world needed to stand by those like Afkari.
    — Zachary Halaschak, Washington Examiner, 4 Sep. 2020
  • The network slammed the raids and vowed to stand by its journalists.
    — Sherisse Pham and Rishi Iyengar, CNN, 6 June 2019

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'standby.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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