Stand vs. Stance — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 27, 2023
Stand refers to a position or being upright, while Stance is an attitude or position regarding a particular issue.
Difference Between Stand and Stance
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Key Differences
The word "Stand" can indicate both the physical act of being upright and a position or location where someone or something remains stationary. For instance, one can take a stand in a debate, or a lemonade stand can be set up on a corner. In contrast, "Stance" predominantly pertains to a specific viewpoint or position on a subject, often tied to beliefs, attitudes, or opinions.
While "Stand" has versatile applications, from describing physical states to metaphorical positions, "Stance" narrows its focus more on the figurative aspect, especially in the context of opinions.
To illustrate, a person might take a stand against bullying by actively intervening, while their stance on bullying is their broader belief that it should be eradicated.
When someone mentions their "stand" on a topic, they often mean their firm position or action regarding it, but when they discuss their "stance," they are delving into their underlying beliefs and perspectives.
Comparison Chart
Nature
Physical or metaphorical position
Position in terms of opinions or beliefs
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Usage
Broader in application
More specific to viewpoints
Context
Can be a location, action, or viewpoint
Generally a viewpoint or attitude
Grammatical Role
Often a noun or verb
Primarily a noun
Examples
Lemonade stand, take a stand
Political stance, defensive stance
Compare with Definitions
Stand
Be in an upright position on one's feet.
She can stand for hours without getting tired.
Stance
A way of standing, especially in sports.
His batting stance is quite unique.
Stand
Remain valid or unchanged.
The decision will stand despite the opposition.
Stance
A mental or emotional position.
His defensive stance made the conversation difficult.
Stand
To rise to an upright position on the feet.
Stance
An attitude or position on an issue.
Her stance on animal rights is admirable.
Stand
To assume or maintain an upright position as specified
Stand straight.
Stand to one side.
Stance
A stage or condition in a process.
The project is in its initial stance.
Stand
To maintain an upright position on the feet.
Stance
A specific style or manner of holding oneself.
The dancer's stance was poised and elegant.
Stand
To maintain an upright or vertical position on a base or support
The urn stands on a pedestal.
Stance
The attitude or position of a standing person or animal, especially the position assumed by an athlete preparatory to action.
Stand
To be placed or situated
The building stands at the corner.
Stance
A position or point of view
"Peru ... toughened its stance toward foreign investors" (Abraham Lowenthal).
Stand
To remain stable, upright, or intact
The old school still stands.
Stance
The manner, pose, or posture in which one stands.
The fencer’s stance showed he was ready to begin.
Stand
To remain valid, effective, or unaltered
The agreement stands.
Stance
One's opinion or point of view.
I don’t agree with your stance on gun control.
Stand
To be or show a specified figure or amount
The balance stands at $500.
Stance
A place to stand; a position, a site, a station.
Stand
To measure a specified height when in an upright position
Stands six feet tall.
Stance
A foothold or ledge on which to set up a belay.
Stand
To take up or maintain a specified position, altitude, or course
He stands on his earlier offer. We will stand firm.
Stance
(Scotland) A place for buses or taxis to await passengers; a bus stop, a taxi rank.
Stand
To be in a position of possible gain or loss
She stands to make a fortune.
Stance
(Scotland) A place where a fair or market is held; a location where a street trader can carry on business.
Stand
To be in a specified state or condition
I stand corrected. We stand in awe of the view.
Stance
A stanza.
Stand
To exist in a particular form
Send the message as it now stands.
Stance
To place, to position, to station; (specifically) to put (cattle) into an enclosure or pen in preparation for sale.
Stand
To be at a specified level on a scale or in an amount
Stands third in her class.
Stands high in reputation.
Stance
A stanza.
Stand
To come to a stop; remain motionless.
Stance
A station; a position; a site.
Stand
To remain stationary or inactive
The car stood in the garage all winter.
Stance
The position of a player's feet, relative to each other and to the ball, when he is making a stroke or at bat.
Stand
To remain without flowing or being disturbed; be or become stagnant.
Stance
The mental attitude, position, or approach a person adopts in respect to something.
Stand
(Nautical) To take or hold a particular course or direction
A ship standing to windward.
Stance
Standing posture
Stand
To be available as a sire. Used of horses.
Stance
A rationalized mental attitude
Stand
Chiefly British To be a candidate for public office.
Stand
To cause to stand; place upright.
Stand
To engage in or encounter
Stand battle.
Stand
To resist successfully; withstand
Stand the test of time.
Will not stand close examination.
Stand
To put up with patiently or resolutely; bear
Can't stand the heat.
Stand
To submit to or undergo
Stand trial.
Stand
To tolerate and benefit from
I could stand a good night's sleep.
Stand
To perform the duty of
Stand guard.
Stand
(Informal) To treat (someone) or pay the cost of (food or drink)
She stood him to a drink. We'll stand dinner.
Stand
The act of standing.
Stand
A ceasing of work or activity; a standstill or halt.
Stand
A stop on a performance tour.
Stand
The place or station where a person stands.
Stand
A booth, stall, or counter for the display of goods for sale.
Stand
A parking space reserved for taxis.
Stand
A desperate or decisive effort at defense or resistance, as in a battle
Made their stand at the river.
Stand
A position or opinion one is prepared to uphold
Must take a stand on environmental issues.
Stand
Stands Rows of wooden or metal benches placed one above another for people watching a sports event or a performance.
Stand
(Law) A witness stand.
Stand
A small rack, prop, or table for holding any of various articles
A music stand.
A bedside stand.
Stand
A group or growth of tall plants or trees
A stand of pine.
Stand
To position or be positioned physically:
Stand
To support oneself on the feet in an erect position.
Here I stand, wondering what to do next.
Stand
(intransitive) To rise to one’s feet; to stand up.
Stand up, walk to the refrigerator, and get your own snack.
Stand
To remain motionless.
Do not leave your car standing in the road.
Stand
(intransitive) To be placed in an upright or vertical orientation.
Stand
(transitive) To place in an upright or standing position.
He stood the broom in a corner and took a break.
Stand
(intransitive) To occupy or hold a place; to be set, placed, fixed, located, or situated.
Paris stands on the Seine.
Stand
(intransitive) To measure when erect on the feet.
Stand
To be present, to have welled up.
Stand
To position or be positioned mentally:
Stand
To be positioned to gain or lose.
He stands to get a good price for the house.
Stand
To tolerate.
I can’t stand when people don’t read the instructions.
I can’t stand him.
Stand
To maintain one's ground; to be acquitted; not to fail or yield; to be safe.
Stand
To maintain an invincible or permanent attitude; to be fixed, steady, or firm; to take a position in resistance or opposition.
Stand
To be in some particular state; to have essence or being; to be; to consist.
Stand
To position or be positioned socially:
Stand
To act as an umpire.
Stand
(transitive) To undergo; withstand; hold up.
The works of Shakespeare have stood the test of time.
Stand
To be a candidate (in an election).
He is standing for election to the local council.
Stand
(intransitive) To be valid.
What I said yesterday still stands.
Stand
(transitive) To oppose, usually as a team, in competition.
Stand
(transitive) To cover the expense of; to pay for.
To stand a round of drinks
To stand a treat
To stand bail (security in respect of an arrested person)
Stand
(intransitive) To have or maintain a position, order, or rank; to be in a particular relation.
Christian charity, or love, stands first in the rank of gifts.
Stand
(intransitive) To be consistent; to agree; to accord.
Stand
(intransitive) To appear in court.
Stand
Of a ship or its captain, to steer, sail (in a specified direction, for a specified destination etc.).
Stand
To remain without ruin or injury.
Stand
(card games) To stop asking for more cards; to keep one's hand as it has been dealt so far.
Stand
The act of standing.
Stand
A defensive position or effort.
The Commander says we will make our stand here.
Stand
A resolute, unwavering position; firm opinion; action for a purpose in the face of opposition.
They took a firm stand against copyright infringement.
Stand
A period of performance in a given location or venue.
They have a four-game stand at home against the Yankees.
They spent the summer touring giving 4 one-night stands a week.
Stand
A device to hold something upright or aloft.
He set the music upon the stand and began to play.
An umbrella stand;
A hat-stand
Stand
The platform on which a witness testifies in court; the witness stand or witness box.
She took the stand and quietly answered questions.
Stand
(historical) An area of raised seating for waiters at the stock exchange.
Stand
A particular grove or other group of trees or shrubs.
This stand of pines is older than the one next to it.
Stand
(forestry) A contiguous group of trees sufficiently uniform in age-class distribution, composition, and structure, and growing on a site of sufficiently uniform quality, to be a distinguishable unit.
Stand
A standstill, a motionless state, as of someone confused, or a hunting dog who has found game.
Stand
A small building, booth, or stage, as in a bandstand or hamburger stand.
Stand
A designated spot where someone or something may stand or wait.
A taxi stand
Stand
The situation of a shop, store, hotel, etc.
A good, bad, or convenient stand for business
Stand
(sports) Grandstand. often in the plural
Stand
(cricket) A partnership.
Stand
A single set, as of arms.
Stand
(obsolete) Rank; post; station; standing.
Stand
(dated) A state of perplexity or embarrassment.
To be at a stand what to do
Stand
A young tree, usually reserved when other trees are cut; also, a tree growing or standing upon its own root, in distinction from one produced from a scion set in a stock, either of the same or another kind of tree.
Stand
A location or position where one may stand.
Stand
(advertising) An advertisement filling an entire billboard, comprising many sheets of paper.
Stand
(fiction) A type of supernatural ability from the anime and manga series JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, named for the fact that they appear to 'stand' next to their user.
Stand
A container which stands upright, such as a barrel or cask.
Stand
(obsolete) A weight of from two hundred and fifty to three hundred pounds, used in weighing pitch.
Stand
To be at rest in an erect position; to be fixed in an upright or firm position
It stands as it were to the ground yglued.
The ruined wallStands when its wind-worn battlements are gone.
Stand
To occupy or hold a place; to have a situation; to be situated or located; as, Paris stands on the Seine.
Wite ye not where there stands a little town?
Stand
To cease from progress; not to proceed; to stop; to pause; to halt; to remain stationary.
I charge thee, stand,And tell thy name.
The star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
Stand
To remain without ruin or injury; to hold good against tendencies to impair or injure; to be permanent; to endure; to last; hence, to find endurance, strength, or resources.
My mind on its own center stands unmoved.
Stand
To maintain one's ground; to be acquitted; not to fail or yield; to be safe.
Readers by whose judgment I would stand or fall.
Stand
To maintain an invincible or permanent attitude; to be fixed, steady, or firm; to take a position in resistance or opposition.
The king granted the Jews . . . to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life.
Stand
To adhere to fixed principles; to maintain moral rectitude; to keep from falling into error or vice.
We must labor so as to stand with godliness, according to his appointment.
Stand
To have or maintain a position, order, or rank; to be in a particular relation; as, Christian charity, or love, stands first in the rank of gifts.
Stand
To be in some particular state; to have essence or being; to be; to consist.
Accomplish what your signs foreshow;I stand resigned, and am prepared to go.
Thou seest how it stands with me, and that I may not tarry.
Stand
To be consistent; to agree; to accord.
Doubt me not; by heaven, I will do nothingBut what may stand with honor.
Stand
To hold a course at sea; as, to stand from the shore; to stand for the harbor.
From the same parts of heaven his navy stands.
Stand
To offer one's self, or to be offered, as a candidate.
He stood to be elected one of the proctors of the university.
Stand
To stagnate; not to flow; to be motionless.
Or the black water of Pomptina stands.
Stand
To measure when erect on the feet.
Six feet two, as I think, he stands.
Stand
To be or remain as it is; to continue in force; to have efficacy or validity; to abide.
Stand
To be, or signify that one is, willing to play with one's hand as dealt.
Stand
To endure; to sustain; to bear; as, I can not stand the cold or the heat.
Stand
To resist, without yielding or receding; to withstand.
He stood the furious foe.
Stand
To abide by; to submit to; to suffer.
Bid him disband his legions, . . . And stand the judgment of a Roman senate.
Stand
To set upright; to cause to stand; as, to stand a book on the shelf; to stand a man on his feet.
Stand
To be at the expense of; to pay for; as, to stand a treat.
Stand
The act of standing.
I took my stand upon an eminence . . . to look into their several ladings.
Stand
A halt or stop for the purpose of defense, resistance, or opposition; as, to come to, or to make, a stand.
Vice is at stand, and at the highest flow.
Stand
A place or post where one stands; a place where one may stand while observing or waiting for something.
I have found you out a stand most fit,Where you may have such vantage on the duke,He shall not pass you.
Stand
A station in a city or town where carriages or wagons stand for hire; as, a cab stand.
Stand
A raised platform or station where a race or other outdoor spectacle may be viewed; as, the judge's or the grand stand at a race course.
Stand
A small table; also, something on or in which anything may be laid, hung, or placed upright; as, a hatstand; an umbrella stand; a music stand.
Stand
The place where a witness stands to testify in court.
Stand
The situation of a shop, store, hotel, etc.; as, a good, bad, or convenient stand for business.
Stand
Rank; post; station; standing.
Father, since your fortune did attainSo high a stand, I mean not to descend.
Stand
A state of perplexity or embarrassment; as, to be at a stand what to do.
Stand
A young tree, usually reserved when other trees are cut; also, a tree growing or standing upon its own root, in distinction from one produced from a scion set in a stock, either of the same or another kind of tree.
Stand
A weight of from two hundred and fifty to three hundred pounds, - used in weighing pitch.
Stand
A support or foundation;
The base of the lamp
Stand
The position where a thing or person stands
Stand
A growth of similar plants (usually trees) in a particular area;
They cut down a stand of trees
Stand
A small table for holding articles of various kinds;
A bedside stand
Stand
A support for displaying various articles;
The newspapers were arranged on a rack
Stand
An interruption of normal activity
Stand
A mental position from which things are viewed;
We should consider this problem from the viewpoint of the Russians
Teaching history gave him a special point of view toward current events
Stand
A booth where articles are displayed for sale
Stand
A stop made by a touring musical or theatrical group to give a performance;
A one-night stand
Stand
Tiered seats consisting of a structure (often made of wood) where people can sit to watch an event (game or parade)
Stand
A platform where a (brass) band can play in the open air
Stand
A defensive effort;
The army made a final stand at the Rhone
Stand
Be standing; be upright;
We had to stand for the entire performance!
Stand
Be in some specified state or condition;
I stand corrected
Stand
Occupy a place or location, also metaphorically;
We stand on common ground
Stand
Hold one's ground; maintain a position; be steadfast or upright;
I am standing my ground and won't give in!
Stand
Have or maintain a position or stand on an issue;
Where do you stand on the War?
Stand
Put up with something or somebody unpleasant;
I cannot bear his constant criticism
The new secretary had to endure a lot of unprofessional remarks
He learned to tolerate the heat
She stuck out two years in a miserable marriage
Stand
Remain inactive or immobile;
Standing water
Stand
Be in effect; be or remain in force;
The law stands!
Stand
Be tall; have a height of; copula;
She stands 6 feet tall
Stand
Put into an upright position;
Can you stand the bookshelf up?
Stand
Withstand the force of something;
The trees resisted her
Stand the test of time
The mountain climbers had to fend against the ice and snow
Stand
Be available for stud services;
Male domestic animals such as stallions serve selected females
Stand
A determined position on an issue.
He made a stand for justice.
Stand
A structure or location for business or display.
He set up a stand to sell his artwork.
Stand
To endure or tolerate a situation.
I cannot stand his arrogance.
Common Curiosities
Can stand mean a physical location?
Yes, like a fruit stand or a taxi stand.
Is stance always about opinions?
No, while commonly about opinions, stance can also refer to physical positions, especially in sports.
Is stance used in sports terminology?
Yes, such as a batter's stance in baseball or a golfer's stance.
Can stand mean to tolerate something?
Yes, as in "I can't stand spicy food."
Can a dance posture be referred to as a stance?
Yes, dancers often adopt specific stances during performances.
Can you have a stance without taking a stand?
Yes, one can have a stance (opinion) without actively taking a stand (action) on an issue.
What's the difference between a political stand and stance?
A political stand often means a specific action or position, while stance refers to a broader viewpoint or belief.
What does stand refer to in a debate?
In a debate, stand often refers to a firm position or viewpoint on an issue.
Is stand always used in active contexts?
No, stand can also denote remaining unchanged, as in "The rules still stand."
In boxing, is the word stance relevant?
Yes, boxers have specific stances that they adopt during matches.
Can a stand mean a group or coalition?
Yes, as in "A stand of trees" or groups united for a cause.
Which word is more action-oriented, stand or stance?
Stand is more action-oriented, whereas stance often refers to an opinion or position.
Can stance refer to a phase in a process?
Yes, it can refer to stages, as in the initial stance of a project.
Which word is more versatile in terms of usage?
Stand has a broader range of applications, while stance is more specific to positions or viewpoints.
Is the word stand used in legal contexts?
Yes, as in "The judgment stands" meaning the judgment remains valid.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
