stand out

Meaning

To be much better or more significant than other people or things, or to be very easy to notice because of being different. In a business context, it often refers to candidates, products, or ideas that are noticeably superior to their competitors.

Examples

• Her resume really stood out from the rest because of her extensive international experience.

  Her resume really stood out from the rest because of her extensive international experience.

• We need to find a unique selling point that will make our product stand out in a crowded market.

  We need to find a unique selling point that will make our product stand out in a crowded market.

• Among all the presentations today, yours was the one that stood out the most.

  Among all the presentations today, yours was the one that stood out the most.

• If you want to stand out at work, you should take the initiative on new projects.

  If you want to stand out at work, you should take the initiative on new projects.

• The bright colors in the new logo make it stand out on the website.

  The bright colors in the new logo make it stand out on the website.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ She stands out of the crowd.

  ✓ She stands out from the crowd.

  Use the preposition 'from' (or 'in') with 'stand out' to show contrast with a group, not 'of'.

• ✗ Your design is very outstanding.

  ✓ Your design really stands out.

  'Outstanding' usually means excellent or unpaid (like a bill), whereas the phrasal verb 'stands out' is used to describe something being visually prominent or distinct.

Related Expressions

Practice

• To make your application ___, you should customize your cover letter for each role.

  💡 Be noticeably better or different

  Show answer

  stand out

• Out of all the applicants, only two really ___ during the interviews.

  💡 Past tense of stand out

  Show answer

  stood out