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

Fuqua’s music videos—including one in which Coolio squared off with Michelle Pfeiffer—helped establish him as a stylish and streetwise director. —Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026

That was the case at the American Dream mall in East Rutherford, New Jersey, where 384 contestants squared off this month in a three-day rock, paper, scissors competition for their shot at the big check, sponsored by the New Jersey Lottery. —Brian Cheung, NBC news, 20 Apr. 2026

The Penguins and Flyers will be squaring off in the opening game of the postseason series between the two teams. —Mike Darnay, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026

The Kings finished in the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference and will square off with the Avalanche in a best-of-seven series that begins Sunday at noon PT in Denver. —Daily News, 17 Apr. 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