stanch

UK: /stɑːntʃ/

US: /stɔntʃ, stæntʃ, stɑntʃ/

US: (stônch, stanch, stänch)

Inflections of 'stanch' (adj):

stancher

adj comparative

stanchest

adj superlative

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

stanch¹ /stɔntʃ, stæntʃ, stɑntʃ/  also staunch /stɔntʃ/   v. [~ + object]

1. Medicine to stop the flow of (a liquid, esp. blood):
   to apply pressure to stanch the blood from the wound.
2. Medicine to stop the flow of blood or other liquid from (a wound, etc.):
   to apply pressure to stanch the wound.
3. to check or reduce the speed of (an outflow):
   stanching the dollar drain.

See -stan-.
stanch² /stɔntʃ, stɑntʃ, stæntʃ/   adj., -er, -est. 

1. staunch².

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

stanch¹  (stônch, stanch, stänch), v.t. 

1. Medicine to stop the flow of (a liquid, esp. blood).
2. Medicine to stop the flow of blood or other liquid from (a wound, leak, etc.).
3. [Archaic.] to check, allay, or extinguish.

v.i. 

4. Medicine to stop flowing, as blood;
   be stanched.

n. 

5. Civil Engineering, Naval Terms Also 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.

Also, staunch. 

• 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′a•ble, adj. 
stanch′er, n. 

stanch²  (stônch, stänch, stanch), adj., -er, -est. 

1. staunch².

stanch′ly, adv. 
stanch′ness, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

stanch / stɑːntʃ/, staunch / stɔːntʃ/ verb

1. to stem the flow of (a liquid, esp blood) or (of a liquid) to stop flowing
2. to prevent the flow of a liquid, esp blood, from (a hole, wound, etc)
3. an archaic word for assuage

Etymology: 14th Century: from Old French estanchier, from Vulgar Latin stanticāre (unattested) to cause to stand, from Latin stāre to stand, halt

ˈstanchable, ˈstaunchable adjective

ˈstancher, ˈstauncher noun

stanch / stɑːntʃ/ adjective

1. a variant spelling of staunch1

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

staunch¹ /stɔntʃ/   v. 

1. Naval Terms stanch¹.

staunch² /stɔntʃ, stɑntʃ/  also stanch, adj., -er, -est. 

1. firm;
   dependable in principle, loyalty, etc.:
   a staunch Democrat.

staunch•ly, adv.: 

staunchly defended his nominee.

See -stan-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

staunch¹  (stônch), v.t., v.i., n. 

1. Naval Terms stanch¹.

staunch²  (stônch, stänch), adj., -er, -est. 

1. firm or steadfast in principle, adherence, loyalty, etc., as a person:
   a staunch Republican; a staunch friend.
2. characterized by firmness, steadfastness, or loyalty:
   He delivered a staunch defense of the government.
3. strong;
   substantial:
   a staunch little hut in the woods.
4. impervious to water or other liquids;
   watertight:
   a staunch vessel.

Also, stanch. 

• Middle French estanche (feminine), estanc (masculine), derivative of estancher to stanch¹
• late Middle English sta(u)nch 1375–1425

Synonyms

• 1. constant, true, faithful. See steadfast. 
• 2. resolute.
• 3. stout, sound.