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

There isn’t anything passive or subtle when the lovers of the cosmos — Mars and Venus — square off with each other. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 29 July 2026

Through a bizarre set of circumstances, Dusty’s drawn into a pickleball quartet comprised of older women, developing a crush on their ringleader (Mary Steenburgen), before squaring off against his nemesis with the future of the club on the line. — Marlow Stern, Variety, 24 July 2026

The two Democrats squared off in the 2024 primary, with Shah beating Galán-Woods by about 1,700 votes. — Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 22 July 2026

This year’s Home Run Derby will look a little different when the sluggers square off Monday night in Philadelphia. — Eno Sarris, New York Times, 13 July 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