noun

stead

stehd

noun

The place or role of someone or something, especially when taken over by a replacement, as in "in his stead."

"When the manager fell ill, her assistant took over in her stead."

"A new bridge was built in the stead of the old wooden one."

verb

To be of use or help to someone, as in "stand someone in good stead."

"His years of training stood him in good stead during the final match."

How to Use Stead

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishMostly survives today in set phrases — "in someone's stead" (in their place) and "stand in good stead" (prove useful later).

When to use it

Fairly formal or literary outside of these fixed phrases.

Common pairings

in his stead stand someone in good stead

steaded past tense, steads plural, steads plural, Steads plural, steads singular

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When the manager fell ill, her assistant took over in her _____.

From Old English stede, "place, position," from a Germanic root also seen in "steady" and "instead."

head read lead dead bead mead bread plead tread ahead dread knead