standby
stand·by/ˈsteə̯ndˌbaɪ̯/noun, verb
standby is spelled S-T-A-N-D-B-Y: 7 letters and 2 syllables (stand·by). It appears 2.6 times per million words in written English, the 16,687th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). People search “stand-by vs standby” about 10 times a month (Bing, United States). As a noun, standby means “A state of readiness without immediate involvement; remaining in preparation for (a sudden or unforeseen event or situation)” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of standby is standbys.
How many letters and syllables are in standby?
| Letters | 7: S-T-A-N-D-B-Y |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2: stand·by |
| In writing | 2.6 times per million words; the 16,687th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Pairs people search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); Bing searches in the United States: the average month from September 2025 to August 2026 (Microsoft Advertising keyword data through DataForSEO, read September 30, 2026).
How common is standby?
Standby appears 2.6 times per million words in written English, the 16,687th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce standby?
- /ˈstændˌbaɪ̯/
- [ˈstændˌbaɪ̯]
- US /ˈsteə̯ndˌbaɪ̯/
As a verb (“To wait briefly, as for additional communication by radio…”): /ˌstændˈbaɪ̯/, [ˌstændˈbaɪ̯], /ˌsteə̯ndˈbaɪ̯/.
Standby has 2 syllables, split stand·by in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-standby.wav, LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-standby2.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Words people confuse with standby
Word pairs people search, with the monthly searches for “a vs b” (G: Google, B: Bing, United States).
Also written: stand-by (one word or two).
Sources: Google and Bing searches (September 2025 to August 2026, through DataForSEO); English Wiktionary (homophones, alternative spellings).
Forms of standby
- standbys plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- stand-by
- standbying participle, present
- standbyed participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does standby mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A state of readiness without immediate involvement; remaining in preparation for (a sudden or unforeseen event or situation).
The troops were on standby in case of an attack.
- 2
A replacement kept on standby.
- 3
Sleep mode.
- 4
Waiting at the airport in the hope of getting a seat on a flight that is already booked out.
- 5
Something that is standard, well-tested, or frequently used.
That recipe is an old standby, and she keeps the ingredients around in case of unexpected guests.
verb
- 1
nonstandardproscribedTo wait briefly, as for additional communication by radio or telephone; alternative form of stand by.
Standby while I check that for you.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Standby in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| German | Bereitschaft , verlässliche und bewährte Sache , dranbleiben, kurz warten, abwarten, in Wartestellung bleiben |
| French | veille |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does standby come from?
Deverbal from stand by.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).