stand up for

What does "stand up for" mean?

1. To defend or support someone or something
2. To speak in favor of

Examples

• You should stand up for yourself.
• She always stands up for what she believes in.
• Nobody stood up for him when he was criticized.
• We need to stand up for human rights.
• He stood up for his colleague against unfair treatment.

How to use it

'Stand up for yourself' is essential advice about self-advocacy. Different from 'stand up to' (confront opposition).

Similar expressions

Opposites

Related phrasal verbs

• stand up

  To rise to a standing position

• stand out

  To be very noticeable or different

• stand by

  To support someone in difficult times

• stand for

  To represent or be an abbreviation for

• stand in

  To temporarily take someone's place

• make up for

  To compensate for something bad or lost