showdown

noun

show·​down ˈshō-ˌdau̇n 

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

Tuesday night’s showdown with Ecuador was delayed by an hour because of lightning. — Eduard Cauich, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026

Sunday will, barring a push from the rest of the field, be Round 2 of the Hovland-Scheffler showdown. — Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 27 June 2026

But these were minnows, and Zico saved his best performance for the showdown against Argentina; Zico against Diego Maradona. — Michael Cox, New York Times, 1 July 2026

That match remains one of the biggest moments in Norwegian soccer history, and a win on Tuesday would bring another showdown against Brazil. — Steven Rosenbaum, CBS News, 30 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1870, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for showdown

• adown
• blowdown
• breakdown
• countdown
• crackdown
• crosstown
• downtown
• drawdown
• dropdown
• facedown
• godown
• hometown

Kids Definition

showdown

noun

show·​down -ˌdau̇n 

: the test of strength that finally settles a dispute