Standing Room Only

Pronunciation: /ˈstændɪŋ rum ˈoʊnli/

Definitions of standing room only

noun a place or area in a building where there are no seats and people have to stand

Example Sentences

A1 The concert was so crowded that there was standing room only.

A2 At the train station, all the seats were taken so it was standing room only.

B1 The theater was packed with people, leaving standing room only for latecomers.

B2 The stadium was filled to capacity, with standing room only available for those who arrived late.

C1 The popular restaurant was always busy, with customers often having to wait for standing room only.

C2 The conference hall was so full that it was standing room only for attendees who didn't arrive early.

adjective describing a situation where there are no available seats and people must stand

Example Sentences

A1 The concert was standing room only, so we had to stand the whole time.

A2 The movie theater was standing room only, with no empty seats available.

B1 The train was so crowded it was standing room only, making it difficult to move around.

B2 The stadium was packed with fans, creating a standing room only situation for latecomers.

C1 The popular restaurant had a standing room only policy during peak hours.

C2 The conference hall was standing room only, with attendees overflowing into the aisles.

Examples of standing room only in a Sentence

formal The theater was so packed that it was standing room only for the entire performance.

informal The concert was so crowded that it was standing room only, but we still had a great time.

slang The club was so full that it was standing room only, but we managed to squeeze in near the bar.

figurative The support for the candidate was overwhelming, with standing room only at every campaign event.

Grammatical Forms of standing room only

• past tense: stood
• plural: standing rooms only
• comparative: more standing room only
• superlative: most standing room only
• present tense: stand
• future tense: will stand
• perfect tense: have stood
• continuous tense: is standing
• singular: standing room only
• positive degree: standing room only
• infinitive: to stand
• gerund: standing
• participle: stood

Origin and Evolution of standing room only

First Known Use: 1800 year

Language of Origin: English

Story behind the word: The phrase 'standing room only' originated in the context of theaters and venues where all seats were filled, leaving only space to stand.

Evolution of the word: Over time, 'standing room only' has come to be used in a broader sense to indicate a crowded or packed situation where there is no available seating.