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A standing ovation is a form of applause where members of a seated audience stand up while applauding. This action is done on special occasions by an audience to show their approval and is done after extraordinary performances of particularly high acclaim. The level of audience approval is measured first by how many in the audience actually stand, second the length of time that the standing and applause continues, and third (over the course of an event) by the number of ovations given.

Standing ovations are considered to be a special honour. Often it is used at the entrance or departure of a speaker or performer, where the audience members will continue the ovation until the ovated person leaves or begins their speech. Usually, when a critical mass of a small fraction of the audience stands up (perhaps one-fifth), the entire audience becomes compelled to stand as well.

Some have observed that the standing ovation has come to be devalued in the field of politics, in which on some occasions standing ovations may be given to political leaders as a matter of course, rather than as a special honour in unusual circumstances. Examples include party conferences in many countries, where the speech of the party leader is rewarded with a "stage managed" standing ovation as a matter of course, and the State of the Union Address of the President of the United States. It is routine, rather than exceptional, for this address to be introduced, interrupted and followed by standing ovations, both from the President's own party and his political opponents. However, by tradition all ovations that occur before the speech begins, as opposed to those that interrupt it, are given in praise of the office itself, rather than the individual office-holder, and the President is never introduced by name.

Standing ovations are also often given in a sporting context to reflect an outstanding individual performance, for example if a batsman got out after having scored a very good century (100+ runs) in a cricket match.