stand by — support someone
phrasal verbB2IELTS 6+neutralcommon
To support or remain loyal to someone, especially in difficult times.
Say it like a native
Textbook I shall remain loyal to him throughout his difficulties.
Native I'll stand by him no matter what.
'Stand by someone' is the warm, idiomatic way to say you'll stay loyal.
Pattern: stand by someone
In use
- No matter what happens, I'll always stand by you.family
- I believe true friends are those who stand by you when life gets difficult.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ She stood by with her husband.
✓ She stood by her husband.
'Stand by someone' takes the person directly — no 'with'.
Common collocations
stand by + person— by him, by her family, by you, by each other
Don't confuse it
'Stand by' in this sense is about emotional or moral support, not physical presence.
Related
- stand by (be ready to help) — Another meaning of 'stand by' is 'be ready to help'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.