stand someone up

Meaning

This idiom means to fail to meet someone for a planned date, meeting, or social appointment without warning them beforehand. It carries a strong negative connotation, as it is considered very rude. It is almost always used in romantic or casual social contexts.

Examples

• I waited at the restaurant for an hour, but she stood me up.

  I waited at the restaurant for an hour, but she stood me up.

• He was incredibly embarrassed when his date stood him up on Friday night.

  He was incredibly embarrassed when his date stood him up on Friday night.

• I can't believe you stood her up just to play video games with your friends.

  I can't believe you stood her up just to play video games with your friends.

• She promised she wouldn't stand me up this time, but she did anyway.

  She promised she wouldn't stand me up this time, but she did anyway.

• If someone stands you up, they don't value your time or your feelings.

  If someone stands you up, they don't value your time or your feelings.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ She stood up me last night.

  ✓ She stood me up last night.

  This phrasal verb is separable; the pronoun object ('me', 'him', 'her') must go between 'stood' and 'up'.

• ✗ I was stood up by my bus this morning.

  ✓ I missed my bus this morning.

  You can only be 'stood up' by a person with whom you had social plans, not an object, vehicle, or event.

Related Expressions

Practice

• He was so angry when she ___ him up at the movie theater.

  💡 The past tense of 'stand'.

  Show answer

  stood

• Don't ___ me up tonight; I have already bought the concert tickets.

  💡 The base form of the verb.

  Show answer

  stand