verb

stand down

stand DOWN

Stand down (verb) means to resign from a position, or to withdraw from a contest or candidacy, leaving the way clear for someone else. Example: “She will stand down as chair at the AGM.”

verb

To resign from a position, or to withdraw from a contest or candidacy, leaving the way clear for someone else.

"She will stand down as chair at the AGM."

"Two candidates stood down before the vote."

To end a state of alert or readiness, or to order forces or emergency crews to do so.

"The fire crews were stood down at midnight."

"Troops were told to stand down once the exercise finished."

legal To leave the witness box after giving evidence.

"The judge told the witness she could stand down."

How to Use Stand down

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo step aside from a job, or to be told the emergency is over.

When to use it

The resignation sense is chiefly British; American English usually says step down. The alert sense is military and emergency-services usage and is often passive: they were stood down.

Memory tip

Stand down means give up the post; stand for means put yourself forward for it.

Easily confused with

step down stand up stand for back down

Common pairings

stand down as leader stood down at the election crews were stood down stand down the alert

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She will _____ as chair at the AGM.

Synonyms

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resign step down withdraw quit

Antonyms

stand for stand stand to mobilise

Related Words

come stop pay leave stand table base remain

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between stand down and step down?

They overlap for leaving a post, with stand down the more British choice. Stand down additionally covers not seeking re-election and ending an alert, neither of which step down expresses.

What does stand down mean in the military?

It means come off alert and return to normal routine, either at the end of a period of readiness or when an operation is cancelled. The opposite order is stand to.

What is the difference between stand down and back down?

Backing down means abandoning a demand or position under pressure, and implies losing an argument. Standing down is about vacating a role or ending an alert, and carries no such implication of defeat.

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