stand·off
ˈstand-ˌȯf 
1
2
: used for holding something at a distance from a surface
a standoff insulator
stood off; standing off; stands off
Synonyms
Examples of standoff in a Sentence
Noun
The two governments are currently in a standoff over who has rights to the land.
after two hours they had played to a 5–5 standoff
Adjective
the client's standoff attitude suggested that this was going to be a strictly business relationship
Recent Examples on the Web
Samuel O’Neal, Idaho Statesman, 5 June 2024
As the standoff continued, UCSC Students for Justice in Palestine issued a statement Friday afternoon on Instagram.
—Jenny Jarvie, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2024
The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office on Friday identified three family members who died in Rancho Cordova on Thursday after a man fatally shot his elderly parents and was then shot and killed by deputies after a standoff.
—Ishani Desai, Sacramento Bee, 24 May 2024
The standoff ended when the home caught fire around 3 p.m. and Marchetti was found dead inside with a gunshot wound.
—Corina Vanek, The Arizona Republic, 20 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for standoff 
Noun
After about a two-hour standoff, one of the suspects surrendered to law enforcement.
—Samuel O’Neal, Idaho Statesman, 5 June 2024
As the standoff continued, UCSC Students for Justice in Palestine issued a statement Friday afternoon on Instagram.
—Jenny Jarvie, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2024
The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office on Friday identified three family members who died in Rancho Cordova on Thursday after a man fatally shot his elderly parents and was then shot and killed by deputies after a standoff.
—Ishani Desai, Sacramento Bee, 24 May 2024
The standoff ended when the home caught fire around 3 p.m. and Marchetti was found dead inside with a gunshot wound.
—Corina Vanek, The Arizona Republic, 20 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for standoff
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'standoff.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to standoff
Dictionary Entries Near standoff
Cite this Entry
“Standoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/standoff. Accessed 13 Jun. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share