as in halt
a point in a struggle where neither side is capable of winning or willing to give in
in the battle over bedtime the parents and their son are at a Mexican standoff
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Recent Examples of Mexican standoff
The top echelon of Pete Hegseth’s Pentagon has dissolved into a circle of mutual recrimination and enmity worthy of a Mexican standoff from a Quentin Tarantino film.
—
The Editors, National Review, 28 Apr. 2025
This week, Todd S. Purdum, a longtime political reporter for The New York Times, explains why Democrats have only themselves to blame for the Mexican standoff they’re now locked in with a very stubborn octogenarian.
—airmail.news, 13 July 2024
This is going to be a Mexican standoff relationship.
—Nick Romano, EW.com, 20 Oct. 2022
Ahmet Şık, a former journalist and an opposition MP, likened the situation to a Mexican standoff, a confrontation in which no strategy exists that allows any party to achieve victory.
—Guney Yildiz, Forbes, 24 May 2021
The Editors, National Review, 28 Apr. 2025
This week, Todd S. Purdum, a longtime political reporter for The New York Times, explains why Democrats have only themselves to blame for the Mexican standoff they’re now locked in with a very stubborn octogenarian.
—airmail.news, 13 July 2024
This is going to be a Mexican standoff relationship.
—Nick Romano, EW.com, 20 Oct. 2022
Ahmet Şık, a former journalist and an opposition MP, likened the situation to a Mexican standoff, a confrontation in which no strategy exists that allows any party to achieve victory.
—Guney Yildiz, Forbes, 24 May 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for Mexican standoff
halt
Noun
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In cases of near-zero visibility due to dense fog, initiate your hazard lights and locate a secure spot, such as a nearby business parking area, to pull over and come to a halt.—
Southern California Weather Report,
Daily News,
27 Mar. 2026
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About 20% of the world’s oil supply travels through the narrow strait, and the recent halt in shipping impacts the wider economy, raising expectations of higher inflation.—
Alison Saldanha,
Dallas Morning News,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mexican standoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/Mexican%20standoff. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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