Words / B2

long-STAND-ing/ˌlɒŋ ˈstændɪŋ/

Long-standing means having existed for a long time: a long-standing agreement; a long-standing problem. Long-term looks forward (already in the dictionary); old is looser. A long-standing clash is not “unprecedented”. Mix-up: outstanding means excellent or unpaid. Do not write long-standing for a policy that started last week.

Meaning

Having existed for a long time.

Examples

• “A long-standing clash with the bus company is not a new “unprecedented” crisis.”
• “A long-standing partnership with the university featured in the prospectus, which is the positive sense.”

Good to know

a long-standing + noun. Forward-looking twin: long-term. Trap: outstanding. News, history, and business. Lasted a long time already, not merely “big”.

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