- loyal, firm, and dependable: a staunch supporter
- solid or substantial in construction
- rare (of a ship, etc) watertight; seaworthy
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
staunch1 /stɔntʃ/USA pronunciation
v.
staunch2 /stɔntʃ, stɑntʃ/USA pronunciation also stanch, adj., -er, -est.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- Naval Termsstanch1.
staunch2 /stɔntʃ, stɑntʃ/USA pronunciation also stanch, adj., -er, -est.
- firm;
dependable in principle, loyalty, etc.:a staunch Democrat.
staunch1
(stônch),USA pronunciation v.t., v.i., n.
staunch2 (stônch, stänch),USA pronunciation adj., -er, -est.
- Naval Termsstanch1.
staunch2 (stônch, stänch),USA pronunciation adj., -er, -est.
- firm or steadfast in principle, adherence, loyalty, etc., as a person:a staunch Republican; a staunch friend.
- characterized by firmness, steadfastness, or loyalty:He delivered a staunch defense of the government.
- strong;
substantial:a staunch little hut in the woods. - impervious to water or other liquids;
watertight:a staunch vessel.
- Middle French estanche (feminine), estanc (masculine), derivative of estancher to stanch1
- late Middle English sta(u)nch 1375–1425
- 1. constant, true, faithful. See steadfast. 2. resolute. 3. stout, sound.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
staunch /stɔːntʃ/ adj
staunch /stɔːntʃ/ vb , n
- a variant spelling of stanch1
stanch1 /stɔntʃ, stæntʃ, stɑntʃ/USA pronunciation also staunch /stɔntʃ/USA pronunciation
v. [~ + object]
stanch2 /stɔntʃ, stɑntʃ, stæntʃ/USA pronunciation adj., -er, -est.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- Medicineto stop the flow of (a liquid, esp. blood):to apply pressure to stanch the blood from the wound.
- Medicineto stop the flow of blood or other liquid from (a wound, etc.):to apply pressure to stanch the wound.
- to check or reduce the speed of (an outflow):stanching the dollar drain.
stanch2 /stɔntʃ, stɑntʃ, stæntʃ/USA pronunciation adj., -er, -est.
- staunch2.
stanch1
(stônch, stanch, stänch),USA pronunciation v.t.
v.i.
n.
stanch′a•ble, adj.
stanch′er, n.
stanch2 (stônch, stänch, stanch),USA pronunciation adj., -er, -est.
stanch′ness, n.
- Medicineto stop the flow of (a liquid, esp. blood).
- Medicineto stop the flow of blood or other liquid from (a wound, leak, etc.).
- [Archaic.]to check, allay, or extinguish.
v.i.
- Medicineto stop flowing, as blood;
be stanched.
n.
- Civil Engineering, Naval TermsAlso called flash-lock, navigation weir. a lock that, after being partially emptied, is opened suddenly to send a boat over a shallow place with a rush of water.
- Vulgar Latin *stanticāre, equivalent. to Latin stant- (stem of stāns, present participle of stāre to stand) + -icāre causative suffix
- Old French estanchier to close, stop, slake (thirst)
- Middle English stanchen, staunchen (verb, verbal) 1275–1325
stanch′er, n.
stanch2 (stônch, stänch, stanch),USA pronunciation adj., -er, -est.
- staunch2.
stanch′ness, n.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
stanch /stɑːntʃ/, staunch /stɔːntʃ/ vb
- to stem the flow of (a liquid, esp blood) or (of a liquid) to stop flowing
- to prevent the flow of a liquid, esp blood, from (a hole, wound, etc)
- an archaic word for assuage
stanch /stɑːntʃ/ adj
- a variant spelling of staunch1
'staunch' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):