Stand Someone Up: Meaning, Examples & Usage

Meaning 1：fail to show up for a date (stand someone up)

stand someone up 🔊

/stænd ˈsʌmˌwʌn ʌp/

phr.v.

To fail to meet someone you had a date or appointment with.

Person waiting alone at cafe table for date who stood them up

fail to show up for a date 🔊

➕

/feɪl tə ʃoʊ ʌp fɔːr ə deɪt/

phr.v.

To not appear for a planned meeting, especially a romantic date, leaving the other person waiting without explanation.

📁 Category：Behaviors & Actions 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

'Stand' (upright) + 'up' (direction) = cause someone to wait by not showing up.

💡 Mnemonic

Picture a lonely person standing, waiting for a date that never arrives.

📖 Example

Sarah was really upset because Tom stood her up at the cafe; she waited for an hour with two cups of coffee. 🔊 Sarah was very upset because Tom failed to meet her at the cafe; she waited an hour with two cups of coffee.

🔗 Collocations

get stood up – To be left waiting by someone who fails to keep a date.

stand someone up on a date – To not show up for a romantic meeting.

feel stood up – To experience the disappointment of being left waiting.

🔄 Synonyms

fail to show up (phr.v.) – To not arrive as expected or promised.

break a date (phr.v.) – To cancel or not attend a planned romantic meeting without notice.

not turn up (phr.v.) – To fail to appear at an arranged place or time.

🚫 Antonyms

show up (phr.v.) – To arrive as expected or promised.

keep an appointment (phr.) – To be present at a scheduled meeting.

be punctual (adj.) – To arrive exactly at the agreed time.

🌱 Derivatives

stood up (adj.) – Left waiting by someone who failed to meet as arranged.

📖 Cultural Story

Originating in 1920s US slang, 'stand someone up' likely comes from the image of leaving a person standing alone. It became common in dating scenarios.