Definition

Staunch means very loyal and committed in attitude, often used to describe a person who firmly holds to a belief or principle and does not waver. It can also refer to something that is solid, sturdy, or watertight, and cannot be easily moved or broken.

Pronunciation

US English

UK English


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Excerpts from News Articles

Spain, a NATO member whose foreign and security policy is closely aligned with that of the United States, is a staunch ally of Ukraine. In July it assumes the rotating presidency of the European Union’s Council, which groups the bloc’s 27 national governments.

Logo 2023-03-31 Al Jazeera

"I think among the staunch supporters of the war, their view is that a patriotic organisation and revolutions or any crusade against the oligarchs is viewed quite favourably because the oligarchs are very unpopular among the vast majority of the population," Ramani told Euronews.

Logo 2023-03-31 EURO News

Privately, former Polish government officials said that despite the country’s vehement opposition to Nord Stream and staunch support for arming Ukraine, they doubted that President Andrzej Duda would authorize an act that risked fracturing the alliance of nations that have come to Ukraine’s defense. Polish officials routinely refer to Ukraine’s conflict with Russia as “our war” and are fearful that if Russian President Vladimir Putin succeeds there, he would set his sights on Poland next.

Logo 2023-04-03 The Washington Post

In warning protesters, Mr. Adams singled out Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a conservative Republican from Georgia and staunch Trump backer who has criticized the decision to indict Mr. Trump. She has advertised a demonstration planned for Tuesday with Jack Posobiec, an internet conspiracy theorist, and Graham Allen, a right-wing commentator.

Logo 2023-04-03 The New York Times

But for now, most of Taiwan’s staunch allies are standing firm.

Logo 2023-04-04 The Guardian

In other words, he’s a staunch conservative. But that is the point: Hutchinson (like Cheney) stands for the proposition that one can differ sharply with Democrats on policy while defending fundamental principles such as the rule of law, the sanctity of elections, human rights, a free press and simple decency.

Logo 2023-04-04 The Washington Post

“At the same time, he was also a critic of the Russian officer corps and the upper echelon making decisions about military actions. Sometimes his … analysis caused a wave of negative reactions among officers, because he, as a staunch defender of Russia and its army, wanted to see this army more successful than it actually was,” Trad added.

Logo 2023-04-04 CNN News

For now, the risk of tagging yourself as being in support of an accused criminal is worth any consequences with moderate and independent voters down the line. As when considering staunch Republican voters, with their crucial primary votes and donations, it would likely be easier to walk back any defense of Trump should he be found guilty than to be tagged as unsupportive in his hour of need should he be acquitted.

Logo 2023-04-04 MSNBC News

It was a strange sight because the gathering was at the home of a CCC lawmaker, but Nyembe, 72, a staunch supporter of Zimbabwe’s main opposition party, was unperturbed because it was not his first meeting.

Logo 2023-04-05 Al Jazeera

Even staunch right-wingers are admitting that the results in Wisconsin’s Supreme Court election are a bad omen for Republicans’ electoral chances going forward.

Logo 2023-04-06 MSNBC News

Blair and Virginia said little about their interaction with the Kennedys. They were abroad while the Kennedys lived in the house, and they were described by Terry Childs as staunch Republicans. What they did say wasn’t enthusiastic.

Logo 2023-04-07 The Washington Post

Given the staunch support House Democrats in particular have provided in defiance of Republican attacks on trans rights, this decision is likely going to exacerbate tensions with the White House.

Logo 2023-04-09 MSNBC News

Recognizing gastronomical evolution as more than a theoretical concept helped me become more open to contemporary Korean cuisine, both in Korea and in the diaspora, letting me reframe my identity as a biracial Korean American without requiring that I remain a staunch food traditionalist. I may never come around to putting American cheese in my kimbap (as many Koreans now do), but I no longer equate traditional with authentic.

Logo 2023-04-09 The Washington Post

The New York Times reported on Sunday that the leaked documents contain details about internal discussions among top South Korean top officials about U.S. pressure on the staunch ally to help supply weapons to Ukraine, and its policy of not doing so.

Logo 2023-04-09 Reuters

Apple, who is White and remains a Democrat even as her adult children and many of her White neighbors have become staunch Republicans, said she felt awful after hearing Jones and Pearson were expelled while Johnson was not. She said it reminded her of growing up in West Nashville during the Civil Rights era, a time when she said much of the city was under a 7 p.m. curfew because of concerns about race-related disturbances.

Logo 2023-04-10 The Washington Post

But the flip side of that is that such a decision could be construed not as ruling on the “basic legality” of medication abortion, but as an administrative matter. While Kacsmaryk holds staunch antiabortion views and layered his opinion with such rhetoric — for example, writing “unborn human” and “unborn child” rather than “fetus,” and “abortionist” rather than “doctor” — his central holding is that the FDA erred in determining that mifepristone is safe and that it disregarded arguments to the contrary.

Logo 2023-04-10 The Washington Post

Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, the second-ranking Republican in the House, was among the most seriously injured in a mass shooting that targeted Republicans lawmakers at a softball practice in Alexandria, Virginia, in 2017. But he has maintained staunch support for a broad interpretation of the Second Amendment.

Logo 2023-04-11 CNN News

Graham’s meeting with Mohammed marks a departure from his previous stance on the crown prince, who has long been connected to the 2018 assassination of the Saudi dissident. As news of Khashoggi’s disappearance broke, Graham — once a staunch defender of Saudi Arabia in Congress — became critical of Mohammed and his actions.

Logo 2023-04-11 The Washington Post

Lamb, who filed with the Federal Election Commission on Monday, has built a profile in Arizona and beyond as a staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump and an advocate for cracking down on illegal immigration and drug smuggling . While Pinal County is not on the U.S.-Mexico border, it has a number of active drug and human smuggling routes through remote desert terrain.

Logo 2023-04-11 Associated Press

The new security assessment is significant because even staunch defenders of the port deal, such as Hamburg's Social Democratic Mayor and close Scholz ally Peter Tschentscher, had repeatedly argued that China would and should not be given access to critical infrastructure. The logic of encouraging Chinese investment is that those ports would then be favored by Chinese shippers that take their business there.

Logo 2023-04-12 Politico

Gulf states are seen as likely clients. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have been staunch backers of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi since the Muslim Brotherhood’s ouster in 2013. However, there are signs they are becoming less willing to support what is seen as a troubled economic model.

Logo 2023-04-12 Associated Press

Highly visible during the Troubles, then-senator Biden displayed staunch solidarity with the terrorist Republican cause. In 1985, he opposed British rule in Northern Ireland – even though it was and remains supported by a majority of people living there – and worked assiduously to oppose an extradition treaty with Britain that would have affected members of the Irish Republican Army who had fled to the United States.

Logo 2023-04-12 The Spectator

Lula’s staunch anti-Western narrative suited Beijing. “Like-minded partners are not separated by distance,” the Chinese state media People’s Daily said in a commentary on Lula’s visit. “Various sectors in Brazil are pleased about this visit which came with a suitcase of cooperation plans, and consider China the … reliable partner.” Indeed, the two countries signed {$}10 billion worth of accords during his visit.

Logo 2023-04-18 Politico

But the staunch monarchist draws the line at any suggestion of amending a lese majeste law.

Logo 2023-04-12 Reuters

Malpass was, in 2018, serving as undersecretary to the US Treasury for international affairs in the Trump administration and had been a staunch critic of multilateral institutions, at a time when the World Bank was seeking approval from the US government for a sizeable increase in the funds available to lend to developing nations.

Logo 2023-04-12 The Guardian

The effort, first reported by NBC News, was indicative of the growing concern in Mr. DeSantis’s orbit that the former president was building a significant structural advantage as the governor considers jumping in. One Republican familiar with the calls, who insisted on anonymity in order to discuss private conversations, said that Mr. DeSantis had been “blindsided” by the Trump endorsements from Representatives Byron Donalds, Matt Gaetz, Anna Paulina Luna and Cory Mills, all staunch supporters of the former president who also backed Mr. DeSantis’s re-election last year.

Logo 2023-04-13 The New York Times

Jefferson’s inveterate shyness prevented him from playing a significant role in the debates within the Congress. John Adams, a leader in those debates, remembered that Jefferson was silent even in committee meetings, though consistently staunch in his support for independence. His chief role was as a draftsman of resolutions.


Morawiecki, a staunch promoter of the EU’s alignment with the US, blasted Western European politicians supporting Macron’s views.

Logo 2023-04-14 RT News

Prayut’s staunch pro-monarchy stand is expected to win a lot of votes for his party, but it is yet to be seen whether the number of votes will be enough to allow him to retain his prime minister’s seat.

Logo 2023-04-14 Asia News Network

Mr Pence, a staunch opponent of abortion rights, called for accelerating the executions of mass shooters, saying that “justice delayed is justice denied.”

Logo 2023-04-15 The Independent

A voice piped up, outraged. “Everything is not about you!” The woman, staunch and stinky, turned to our fellow passengers “This girl thinks everything is about her!” Then fixed me again: “My God!”

Logo 2023-04-17 The Guardian

Jordan, a staunch Trump ally, opened the hearing with a broadside against Bragg, claiming he is more interested in pursuing a “radical political agenda” than upholding the law.

Logo 2023-04-17 The Washington Post

A message seeking comment from Republican Gov. Mike Parson, a staunch gun rights supporter, wasn’t immediately returned.

Logo 2023-04-17 Associated Press

“You’re thinking of Europe as Germany and France,” Rumsfeld responded, gesturing to the two states at the vanguard of the European project, which also happened to be among the more staunch skeptics of Bush’s plans. “I don’t. I think that’s ‘old Europe.’ If you look at the entire NATO Europe today, the center of gravity is shifting to the East. And there are a lot of new members.”

Logo 2023-04-17 The Washington Post

The early goal is to keep regional countries from derailing any chance of ceasefire, namely Egypt, a staunch supporter of Sudan’s armed forces. That may be difficult: The RSF captured Egyptian troops conducting joint training in Sudan.

Logo 2023-04-17 Politico