stand·off
ˈstand-ˌȯf 
1
2
: 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
Sam Meredith, CNBC, 15 Jan. 2026
Videos have shown tense standoffs between demonstrators and immigration agents.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 15 Jan. 2026
Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
Their family dog stands off to the side.
—Christina Perrier, InStyle, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for standoff
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Noun
Looking ahead, analysts were struggling to see the potential for a solution to the standoff.
—Sam Meredith, CNBC, 15 Jan. 2026
Videos have shown tense standoffs between demonstrators and immigration agents.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 15 Jan. 2026
Verb
That ability to receive under pressure and drive away with the ball helps explain why centre-back Micky van de Ven chose to stand off him during the match rather than engage.
—Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
Their family dog stands off to the side.
—Christina Perrier, InStyle, 5 Jan. 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 22 Jan. 2026.
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