stand-in

1 of 2

noun

ˈstand-ˌin 

1

: someone employed to occupy an actor's place while lights and camera are readied

2

: substitute

stand in

2 of 2

verb

stood in; standing in; stands in

intransitive verb

: to act as a stand-in

see also:

stand in with

Synonyms of stand-in

Noun

• substitute
• replacement

Verb

• substitute
• fill in
• step in
• take over

Examples of stand-in in a Sentence

Noun

hired him at the last minute as a stand-in for the person who quit

Verb

she will be standing in for the regular teacher for a week

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Think of a massager as a nice extra, not a stand-in for better screen habits. — Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2026

Human actors served as stand-ins for the historical characters — including his wife Bess, his mother, brother, friends and more — while the production team used AI to transform them into the figures. — Corbin Bolies, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026

Verb

Both fantasy and daydream stand in opposition not to what is serious, but to what is real. — Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2026

Those fans want to see their team win, and opponents are just standing in the way. — Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1929, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1904, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for stand-in

• akin
• auxin
• buckskin
• chagrin
• crankpin
• deerskin
• foreskin
• fuchsin
• herein
• kingpin
• linchpin
• pigskin

Kids Definition

stand-in

1 of 2 noun

ˈstan-ˌdin

1

: someone employed to occupy an actor's place while lights and camera are readied

2

: substitute entry 1

stand in

2 of 2 verb

(ˈ)stan-ˈdin

: to act as a stand-in