standoff

1 of 3

noun

stand·​off ˈstand-ˌȯf 

1

a

: tie, deadlock

the two teams played to a standoff

b

: a counterbalancing effect

2

: the act of standing off

standoff

2 of 3

adjective

1

: standoffish

2

: used for holding something at a distance from a surface

a standoff insulator

stand off

3 of 3

verb

stood off; standing off; stands off

intransitive verb

1

: to stay at a distance from something

2

: to sail away from the shore

transitive verb

1

: to keep from advancing : repel

2

: put off, stall

Synonyms

Noun

• dead heat
• draw
• stalemate
• tie

Adjective

• aloof
• antisocial
• asocial
• buttoned-up
• cold
• cold-eyed
• cool
• detached
• distant
• dry
• frosty
• offish
• remote
• standoffish
• unbending
• unclubbable
• unsociable

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

Noun

The Jackson County Legislature has been locked in a standoff with county executive Frank White over the 2025 county budget since January, when legislators first approved a budget that White quickly vetoed. —Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 24 May 2025

Game theory is a powerful tool for analyzing structured interactions, such as poker, price wars, and Cold War standoffs. —Jason Snyder, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025

Verb

Expressing your authentic self may be misinterpreted while the sun stands off with Neptune. —USA TODAY, 20 Sep. 2024

Timbaland and Nachum often stand off to the side, speaking in emphatic but hushed whispers about new ideas that are coming to them in that moment. —Mackenzie Cummings-Grady, Billboard, 28 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1835, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1837, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1591, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 2

Phrases Containing standoff

• Mexican standoff

Rhymes for standoff

• ashraf
• checkoff
• cutoff
• falloff
• handoff
• kickoff
• layoff
• liftoff
• markoff
• markov
• payoff
• playoff

Kids Definition

standoff

noun

stand·​off

ˈstan-ˌdȯf

: a contest or game in which there is no winner : draw