1
as in tie
a situation in which neither participant in a contest, competition, or struggle comes out ahead of the other
after two hours they had played to a 5-5 standoff
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in halt
a point in a struggle where neither side is capable of winning or willing to give in
the standoff continued for three days before the fugitive gave himself up to the authorities
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in detached
having or showing a lack of friendliness or interest in others
the client's standoff attitude suggested that this was going to be a strictly business relationship
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stand off
Charlotte Carroll, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2025
The National Guard, police and protesters stand off outside of a downtown jail in Los Angeles following two days of clashes with police during a series of immigration raids on June 08, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
—Dan Mangan, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2025
Austin Meek, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
They're joined by Alex Argo, Elyse Jenkins, Melissa Meyer and Tommy Montoya in the standoff for the three board seats.
—Grace Tucker, Cincinnati Enquirer, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stand off
Noun
Hudson also spoke with veteran backup quarterback Jameis Winston and spent much of the Giants’ ensuing defensive drive standing off to the side and away from his offensive teammates.
—Charlotte Carroll, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2025
The National Guard, police and protesters stand off outside of a downtown jail in Los Angeles following two days of clashes with police during a series of immigration raids on June 08, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
—Dan Mangan, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
The standoff lasted 21 months before the protestors finally came down from the treetops in September 2008.
—Austin Meek, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
They're joined by Alex Argo, Elyse Jenkins, Melissa Meyer and Tommy Montoya in the standoff for the three board seats.
—Grace Tucker, Cincinnati Enquirer, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stand off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stand off
Noun
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To mark what would have been John Lennon’s 85th birthday, Propstore is auctioning off a handful of rare artifacts with ties to the late, great Liverpudlian musician.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
13 Oct. 2025
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China will likely be compelled to deepen ties with other markets, said Taimur Baig, chief economist at DBS Bank, potentially offering greater access to its trading partners.—
Anniek Bao,Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
13 Oct. 2025
Noun
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That drought came to a halt Saturday when Thayer defensive back Jack Sullivan intercepted Governor’s quarterback Aiden Bly, preserving a 16-14 victory in enemy territory.—
Justin Barrasso,
Boston Herald,
19 Oct. 2025
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But both companies have since put a halt to those plans.—
Susan Tompor,
USA Today,
19 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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But in listening to separate end-of-season reflections from Tucker and Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer, both sides sound detached.—
Patrick Mooney,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
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In the detached home market, there are 9,001 active listings year-to-date, according to the Denver Metro Association of Realtors’ monthly report.—
Sara B. Hansen,
Denver Post,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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But this staredown came on the biggest stage of Toronto’s season, on a night when the pitcher turned back time.—
Mitch Bannon,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
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When do clocks turn back an hour in November?—
Chris Sims,
Louisville Courier Journal,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The last two meetings between these teams have each ended in draws, but Brighton is on a hot streak after going unbeaten in five encounters against Newcastle.—
Kilty Cleary,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Oct. 2025
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Kate Schneider and Caroline Handwerk each scored in the third quarter to separate from a halftime draw, finally overcoming a standout job from Bulldogs goalie Shealyn Murphy (15 saves).—
Tom Mulherin,
Boston Herald,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Air traffic controllers and airport security screeners are among the thousands of government employees who are required to work despite not getting paid during the impasse.—
Leslie Josephs,
CNBC,
14 Oct. 2025
-
The plan is expected to fail again as the impasse continues.—
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy,
USA Today,
14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Nuno’s habitual talk of ‘bonds’ and understanding feels like a distant memory.—
Paul Taylor,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
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For deep-space science, the ability to launch heavier, more complex instruments means more ambitious missions, from sample-return expeditions to Jupiter’s moons to large-scale observatories parked in distant orbits.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Houston had pulled a gun on Ramos, but the friend convinced him to hold off and was speaking with him on the patio when Houston saw police approaching.—
Jose R. Gonzalez,
AZCentral.com,
18 Oct. 2025
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Scherzer also detailed his physical response to the outing, and that further emphasized his decision to hold off on retirement for a while longer.—
Peter Chawaga,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stand off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stand%20off. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
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