square off

verb

squared off; squaring off; squares off

intransitive verb

1

: to take a fighting stance : prepare to fight

also : to fight or argue

squared off in a debate

2

: to compete in a contest

The two teams squared off for the championship.

transitive verb

: to make square : to give (something) straight edges, flat surfaces, or sharp, even corners

Examples of square off in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Be adamant, not alarmist, as Mars squares off with Jupiter. —Usa Today, USA Today, 4 May 2026

The Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers square off in game seven of the Eastern Conference first round. —ABC News, 2 May 2026

Turkey’s government has long declared the square off-limits for demonstrations on security grounds, but some political parties and trade unions have vowed to march there. —Sylvie Corbet, Chicago Tribune, 1 May 2026

The British wrestler, formerly known in the ring as Rayne Leverkusen, squared off against Nikkita Lyons in her first NXT match. —Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 1 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1838, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Rhymes for square off

• cerenkov
• ashraf
• checkoff
• cutoff
• falloff
• handoff
• kickoff
• layoff
• liftoff
• markoff
• markov
• payoff