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: used for holding something at a distance from a surface
a standoff insulator
stood off; standing off; stands off
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
Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
Upon their arrival, Abugharbieh barricaded himself inside his home, prompting a standoff that roped in the SWAT team, Bomb Disposal Team, Crisis Negotiations Team and Drone Response Team.
—Robert McGreevy , Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2026
CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
Already ahead on the scoreboard from the ninth minute, Arsenal could stand off and allow their opponents to work themselves into a frenzy.
—Art De Roché, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for standoff
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Noun
The standoff beneath the bridge, where whole neighborhoods were dislocated by construction and residents had long been promised a park, quickly attracted national attention.
—Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
Upon their arrival, Abugharbieh barricaded himself inside his home, prompting a standoff that roped in the SWAT team, Bomb Disposal Team, Crisis Negotiations Team and Drone Response Team.
—Robert McGreevy , Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2026
Verb
Seager made it 6-0 in the fourth with his three-run homer, his sixth of the year being a 382-foot drive pulled into the right-field stands off Pirates rookie Bubba Chandler (1-2).
—CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
Already ahead on the scoreboard from the ninth minute, Arsenal could stand off and allow their opponents to work themselves into a frenzy.
—Art De Roché, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for standoff
Cite this Entry
“Standoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/standoff. Accessed 29 Apr. 2026.
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