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

Tonight, the two teams square off, both looking to move to 3-1. — Outkick, FOXNews.com, 25 Sep. 2026

This is a much different-looking Dolphins team than the last time these two teams squared off at Arrowhead Stadium in the Wild Card round of January 2024, when the kickoff temperature was minus-4 degrees with a minus-27 wind chill. — Kansas City Star, 24 Sep. 2026

There’s plenty on the line as two of the three DuKane Conference co-leaders square off for the 108th meeting in a rivalry series that dates back 113 years. — Rick Armstrong, Chicago Tribune, 24 Sep. 2026

Much like Tuesday’s contest, the two teams squared off in a pitchers’ duel as Miami’s Ryan Gusto and Chicago’s Kevin Gausman had shutouts through five innings. — Miami Herald, 24 Sep. 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