showdown

noun

show·​down ˈshō-ˌdau̇n How to pronounce showdown (audio)
1
: the placing of poker hands faceup on the table to determine the winner of a pot
2
: a decisive confrontation or contest

Examples of showdown in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
With the Border War college football showdown between Missouri and Kansas mere hours away now, both fanbases remain busy on social media, talking trash to the other. Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 5 Sep. 2025 And this is a classic 'High Noon' toe-to-toe showdown-at-the-corral heavyweight fight. Brian Truitt, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2025 Such a move could trigger a separation-of-powers showdown, though one that some legal experts say could be fruitless due to years of precedent preventing such lawsuits. Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 3 Sep. 2025 The inevitable showdown between the demon, which manifests in various forms during the film, is wild and exhausting, and gives Wilson and Farmiga, as consistent and excellent as always throughout, a powerful performative and emotional last stand. Simon Thompson, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for showdown

Word History

First Known Use

1870, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of showdown was in 1870

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Cite this Entry

“Showdown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/showdown. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

showdown

noun
show·​down -ˌdau̇n How to pronounce showdown (audio)
: the test of strength that finally settles a dispute

More from Merriam-Webster on showdown

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