standoff

noun stand·off \ ˈstand-ˌȯf \

Updated on: 12 May 2018

Definition of standoff

1 a : tie, deadlock

the two teams played to a standoff

b : a counterbalancing effect

2 : the act of standing off

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Examples of standoff in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples of standoff from the Web

The 1961 tank standoff at Checkpoint Charlie is one of the most infamous and iconic political images of the 20th century.

— SI.com, "World Cup Countdown: 7 Weeks to Go - West Germany Win Italia '90 Against a Backdrop of Reunification," 6 May 2018
In 1996, a man armed with a semiautomatic rifle went on a rampage on the Australian island of Tasmania, killing 35 people; the gunman was captured after a 12-hour standoff at a guest cottage, and is now serving a life prison sentence.

— kaylee remington, cleveland.com, "Cleveland police investigating after 6-month-old baby dies," 28 Apr. 2018
Last summer their troops engaged in a tense, 72-day standoff at a strategic Himalayan pass.

— chun han wong, WSJ, "Indian and Chinese Leaders Vow Better Communication, More Trade," 28 Apr. 2018
In 1996, a man armed with a semiautomatic rifle went on a rampage on the Australian island of Tasmania, killing 35 people; the gunman was captured after a 12-hour standoff at a guest cottage, and is now serving a life prison sentence.

— BostonGlobe.com, "This day in history," 28 Apr. 2018
The suspect, who has a lengthy criminal record and is being described as very dangerous, was taken into custody after a lengthy standoff with police while remaining barricaded inside the home, the station reports.

— crimesider staff, CBS News, "Massachusetts police officer shot serving warrant at Barnstable home," 12 Apr. 2018
Survivors and journalists revisit the 51-day standoff at the Branch Davidian religious sect’s compound in Waco, Tex.

— sara aridi, New York Times, "What’s on TV Monday: ‘Sami Blood’ and ‘Amo’," 9 Apr. 2018
And in 2016, Ammon Bundy, Cliven Bundy’s son, formed a militia called the Citizens for Constitutional Freedom that staged a 41-day armed standoff at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge occupation.

— kashana cauley, The New Republic, "A Culture of Violent White Guys," 29 Mar. 2018
The murder took place Friday, the same day as the terrorist attack in the southeastern city of Trèbes, in which four people, including one French police officer, were killed in a hostage standoff at a local supermarket.

— james mcauley, chicagotribune.com, "France's Jewish leaders raise the alarm over brutal murder of Holocaust survivor," 26 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'standoff.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of standoff

circa 1835

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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standoff Synonyms

Synonyms

deadlock, gridlock, halt, impasse, logjam, stalemate, standstill;

Related Words

dead end;

bind, bottleneck, corner, dilemma, fix, hole, jam, morass, pickle, pinch, plight, predicament, quagmire, quandary, spot;

difficulty;

problem;

standoff

adjective

Definition of standoff

1 : standoffish

2 : used for holding something at a distance from a surface

a standoff insulator

Examples of standoff in a Sentence

the client's standoff attitude suggested that this was going to be a strictly business relationship

First Known Use of standoff

1837

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

stand off

verb

Definition of stand 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

Recent Examples of stand off from the Web

One hunter in Delta told me a crane backed into a burn pile stood off his yellow lab and put the dog off of cranes and geese for the rest of her career.

— john schandelmeier, Anchorage Daily News, "Sandhill cranes make their annual short and noisy Interior Alaska stopover," 7 May 2018
As the officer issues multiple warnings with his own firearm drawn, the two stand off until ultimately suspect drops the object in his hands and lays on the ground to submit to arrest.

— aric jenkins, Time, "'Shoot Me in the Head.' Video Footage Shows the Toronto Van Attack Suspect’s Arrest," 23 Apr. 2018
Last year Ecuador granted the 46-year-old citizenship and sought to register him as a diplomat in a bid to solve the stand off with the U.K. Britain’s Foreign Office rejected the petition a day later.

— stephan kueffner, Bloomberg.com, "Ecuador Cuts WikiLeaks Chief's Internet, to Talk to His Lawyers," 28 Mar. 2018
Malik Newman stood off to the side, between the coaches' room and the door down the hallway.

— sam mellinger, kansascity, "Kansas basketball adds to its history, and how did this all work again? | The Kansas City Star," 25 Mar. 2018
Director Peter Yates bustled about and Jacqueline Bisset, luscious creature and perhaps even actress, who plays McQueen’s girlfriend in the picture, stood off to the side with her boyfriend Michael Sarrazin.

— johnny miller, San Francisco Chronicle, "Steve McQueen in S.F. to film ‘Bullitt’," 21 Mar. 2018
Gelfand suggested that perhaps the former Burger King building, still standing off Green Road, just north of Mayfield Road, might make a better spot for a drive-thru.

— jeff piorkowski/special to cleveland.com, cleveland.com, "South Euclid Council says no to Burger King drive-thru," 13 Mar. 2018
Buy Photo Clay Cofer, standing off to the side of the central gallery at the Barnes Foundation, talks a bit of history.

— stephan salisbury, Philly.com, "Art Team is Barnes Foundation's new twist on visitor 'engagement'," 28 Feb. 2018
USA TODAY Sports PYEONGCHANG, South Korea — Nik Taylor stood off to the side as his wife talked to the media.

— jeff seidel, Detroit Free Press, "'Inspired' Elana Meyers Taylor takes silver in bobsled at Winter Olympics," 21 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'stand off.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.