# outstanding

Pronunciation: say "owt-STAN-ding" US/UK /ˌaʊtˈstæn.dɪŋ/, AUS /ˌæɔtˈstæn.dɪŋ/

## Adjective

1. Exceptionally good; clearly superior to others of the same kind.
   - Simple: So good that it clearly stands above everyone or everything else.
   - _The novel received outstanding reviews from every major critic._
   - _She is an outstanding scientist whose research reshaped the field._
2. Still unresolved; not yet settled or completed.
   - Simple: Not yet done, settled, or dealt with.
   - _Several outstanding matters remained before the merger could close._
   - _The committee addressed every outstanding objection at the final meeting._
3. Still owed; remaining to be paid.
   - Simple: Still owed and not yet paid.
   - _The bank sent a notice about the outstanding loan amount._
   - _Investors were told how much debt remained outstanding at year's end._
4. Prominent or conspicuous; standing out plainly from its surroundings.
   - Simple: Easy to see or notice because it stands out from the things around it.
   - _The tower remained the outstanding landmark for miles around._
   - _Among the gentle hills, one jagged peak was especially outstanding._
5. Projecting or jutting outward from a surface.
   - Simple: Sticking out from a surface or edge.
   - _The architect kept the outstanding beams as a visible design feature._
   - _Sharp, outstanding edges along the rock face caught the climbers' ropes._

## Origin

Formed from "outstand," equivalent to "out-" plus "standing" (or "outstand" plus the suffix "-ing").

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/outstanding (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).