standstill

noun

stand·​still ˈstan(d)-ˌstil How to pronounce standstill (audio)
: a state characterized by absence of motion or of progress : stop
brought traffic to a standstill

Examples of standstill in a Sentence

The accident brought traffic to a standstill. battled each other to a standstill
Recent Examples on the Web But the prospects appeared unlikely with the talks at a standstill. Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2024 Schools and businesses are largely closed, financial transactions are at a standstill, the airport is not functioning, and barely anything is coming in through the ports or the border with the DR. Amy Wilentz, The Atlantic, 7 Mar. 2024 Hollywood is still reeling from the impact of the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes that brought production to a standstill for much of last summer and fall. Katcy Stephan, Variety, 3 Mar. 2024 Efforts to find a new home where residents and visitors could admire the centuries old sculpture, are at a standstill. Roberto Roldan, NPR, 1 Mar. 2024 Hamas and Israel leadership previously seemed to be at a standstill over details on a cease-fire and the number of Palestinian detainees released in exchange for hostages. NBC News, 21 Feb. 2024 However, the case was at a standstill until 2023, when Lisa Needler, co-founder of IGGnite DNA, contacted Meihls, offering their services for genealogy testing of the DNA retrieved by Indiana State Police. Marina Johnson, The Indianapolis Star, 21 Feb. 2024 The twin spending fights have ground Congress to a standstill in recent weeks. Jacob Bogage, Washington Post, 27 Feb. 2024 Those moderates borrowed the playbook from their more conservative colleagues – who have repeatedly brought the House to a standstill in recent months – and threatened to tank an unrelated vote and freeze legislative action. Ken Tran, The Courier-Journal, 23 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'standstill.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1702, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of standstill was in 1702

Dictionary Entries Near standstill

Cite this Entry

“Standstill.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/standstill. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

standstill

noun
stand·​still -ˌstil How to pronounce standstill (audio)
: a state marked by absence of motion or activity : stop
traffic was at a standstill

Medical Definition

standstill

noun
stand·​still ˈstand-ˌstil How to pronounce standstill (audio)
: a state characterized by absence of motion or of progress : arrest
cardiac standstill

More from Merriam-Webster on standstill

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