upstanding

[ uhp-stan-ding ]

adjective

1. upright; honorable; straightforward.
2. of a fine, vigorous type.
3. erect; erect and tall.

upstanding

/ ʌpˈstændɪŋ /

adjective

1. of good character
2. upright and vigorous in build
3. be upstanding
   1. (in a court of law) a direction to all persons present to rise to their feet before the judge enters or leaves the court
   2. (at a formal dinner) a direction to all persons present to rise to their feet for a toast

Derived Forms

• upˈstandingness, noun

Other Words From

• up·standing·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of upstanding¹

before 1000; Middle English; Old English upstandende; up-, stand, -ing ²

Example Sentences

If not for upstanding teachers who’ve come forward and wanted to tell the truth, the survivors wouldn’t get justice because San Diego Unified isn’t forthcoming.

From Voice of San Diego

Twitter seems to be the most upstanding in terms of privacy of its customers.

From The Daily Beast

Most corrections officers are upstanding and do not directly abuse inmates.

From The Daily Beast

All in all, Bates strikes me as a good upstanding Englishman—the epitome of stiff-upper-lip resolve and restraint.

From The Daily Beast

“I bet every one of those words was a stab directly in the heart,” says the upstanding official who asks not to be named.

From The Daily Beast

Wildstein looks exactly like how an upstanding and non-political Port Authority official later described him.

From The Daily Beast

He's been dead now this many years—a fine upstanding man he was, and ready with his hands as well as his head.

From Project Gutenberg

The inner circle of Stonehenge consisted of five upstanding trilithons of which the stones came—by popular repute—from Ireland.

From Project Gutenberg

Shortly he was Corporal Ginsburg—a trim upstanding corporal.

From Project Gutenberg

Each gentleman looked in his neighbour's face, and then transferred his glance to the upstanding coachman.

From Project Gutenberg

The pauldrons are larger and the upstanding neck-guards more pronounced.

From Project Gutenberg