stood me up

USAGE SUMMARY

"stood me up" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when someone makes plans with you and then cancels at the last minute without a valid excuse. For example, "I had a date set up with John, but he stood me up at the last minute."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

27 human-written examples

"He stood me up," she recalled.

The New York Times - Style

"People have stood me up for voice lessons," said Mr. Anderson, who is a music teacher.

The New York Times - Tech

Another stood me up; she later apologized, saying, "I was scared".

The New Yorker

"We actually were supposed to go out once and he stood me up," Ringwald confesses during the "All About Molly" featurette.

The Washington Post

The first time I met Lenny Dykstra, the former Mets and Phillies star, he nearly stood me up for lunch at the St . Regis Hotel in New York.

The New Yorker

He stood me up, I ate the entire box of chocolates, and got horribly sick.db When I was in sixth grade, I was "going out" with a boy for the first time.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

33 human-written examples

I will always stand up for Roddick even if he did stand me up at a ball, sort of.

The New York Times - Sports

The PT team attempted to stand me up, and I nearly crumpled to the floor.

The Washington Post

"Every time I would make a date with him, he'd stand me up," Mr. Koons said.

The New York Times - Arts

Will they stand me up?

TechCrunch

Is the house sitter going to stand me up before I leave or while I am away?

HuffPost

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

To add emotional impact, describe how being "stood up" made you feel. For instance, "I felt incredibly disappointed when he stood me up."

Common error

Avoid using "stood me up" in situations where the person had a valid reason for not attending, such as a sudden emergency. The phrase implies a degree of disrespect or negligence.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "stood me up" functions as a verb phrase, specifically an idiomatic expression. It describes the action of failing to meet someone for a pre-arranged date or appointment. As Ludwig AI suggests, it is used to show disappointment when someone makes plans with you but cancels at the last minute without a valid excuse.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

80%

Formal & Business

10%

Science

5%

Less common in

Academia

2%

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "stood me up" is a commonly used and grammatically correct idiomatic expression to describe the act of someone not showing up for a pre-arranged date or appointment. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English, and it primarily conveys feelings of disappointment or frustration. It appears frequently in news and media contexts and maintains an informal tone, as shown in the examples extracted by Ludwig.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

stood me up on

Highlights the act of not appearing on a date.

didn't show up

Focuses on the act of not appearing, without necessarily implying a prior arrangement.

flaked on me

Similar to "bailed", but often implies a lack of seriousness or reliability.

bailed on me

Highlights the act of backing out of plans, often at the last minute.

ditched me

Implies a more deliberate act of abandonment or rejection.

no-showed

A more concise and informal way of saying someone didn't appear.

left me hanging

Emphasizes the feeling of being left in a state of anticipation and disappointment.

forgot about our plans

Suggests a lack of importance or consideration for the plans.

didn't make it

A general way of saying someone was unable to attend, without specifying the reason.

broke our appointment

Focuses on not appearing to business meeting.

FAQs

What does it mean when someone says "stood me up"?

When someone says another person "stood me up", it means the person didn't show up for a date or appointment without any prior notice or valid explanation.

What can I say instead of "stood me up"?

You can use alternatives like "didn't show up", "bailed on me", or "flaked on me" depending on the context and the level of formality you want to convey.

Is "stood me up" grammatically correct?

Yes, "stood me up" is a grammatically correct and commonly used idiomatic expression in English.

What's the difference between "stood me up" and "didn't show up"?

"Stood me up" specifically implies a pre-arranged date or appointment that someone missed, often causing disappointment. "Didn't show up"/"didn't show up" is a more general term that can refer to any situation where someone is absent.