Definitions
01opinion or attitude
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. your public opinion or attitude toward a particular subject.
n. a mental or emotional attitude adopted with respect to a particular issue; often implies a formal or public positioning.
日本語:態度※
“The government has taken a tough stance on environmental pollution.”
“The senator's firm stance on trade policy has alienated some of her traditional supporters while gaining her respect among industrial leaders.”
Usage
often used with the preposition 'on' or 'towards'
02physical posture
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Sports
n. the way you hold your body when standing, especially in a sport.
n. the physical position or posture of the body, particularly one assumed for a specific activity like combat or athletics.
日本語:姿勢※
“The coach told the batter to widen his stance to improve his balance.”
“The martial arts instructor corrected the student's stance, emphasizing that a stable base was essential for both defense and counter-attacks.”
03a place for vehicles
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun British English · Dialect
n. a specific place where buses or taxis wait for passengers.
n. a designated station or rank for public transport vehicles to await passengers.
“We waited at the bus stance for the express coach to arrive.”
“The city council recently renovated the central bus stance to include sheltered seating and real-time digital arrival displays.”
Usage
primarily used in Scotland
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “stance” in context.
Verb
01. adopt a stance
“The government has adopted a firm stance on environmental protection.”
verb + noun
02. maintain a neutral stance
“It is difficult to maintain a neutral stance when both sides are arguing so passionately.”
verb + adj + noun
03. soften their stance
“The company decided to soften their stance after the public protests.”
verb + possessive + noun
Adjective
04. aggressive stance
“The lawyer took an aggressive stance during the cross-examination.”
adj + noun
05. tough stance
“The school board is taking a tough stance against bullying this year.”
adj + noun
Preposition
06. stance on the issue
“The candidate was asked to clarify her stance on the issue of tax reform.”
noun + prep + noun
07. stance towards the proposal
“The committee's stance towards the proposal has been largely positive so far.”
noun + prep + noun
Real-World Examples
“Kennedy’s book attacked Fauci for his stance toward hydroxychloroquine.” “He also mentioned Seoul’s stance on the US-Israel war on Iran.” Etymology
From Middle English staunce (“place to stand; battle station; position; standing in society; circumstance, situation; stanchion”), from Old French estance (“predicament; situation; sojourn, stay”) (compare modern French stance (“stanza; position one stands in when golfing”)), from Italian stanza (“room, standing place; stanza”), from Vulgar Latin stantia, from Latin stō (“to stand; to remain, stay”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European steh₂- (“to stand (up)”). The word is cognate with Spanish estante (“shelf”) and a doublet of stanza. The verb is derived from the noun. Compare typologically Czech postoj (“stance (the way of holding a body); stance (point of view)”) (cognate via PIE). Also see position, posture.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/stance
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「日本語」「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0