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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of standoff
Dade Hayes, Deadline, 5 Nov. 2025
That standoff stretched for 35 days, leading to the furlough of more than 350,000 federal workers and forcing 400,000 others to work without pay.
—Katie Wiseman, IndyStar, 5 Nov. 2025
Usa Today, USA Today, 17 Sep. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for standoff
Noun
The bitter standoff has been the most high-profile of the year, given the scale of the combatants and the timing of it in the middle of football season.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 5 Nov. 2025
That standoff stretched for 35 days, leading to the furlough of more than 350,000 federal workers and forcing 400,000 others to work without pay.
—Katie Wiseman, IndyStar, 5 Nov. 2025
Verb
Your philosophy may be challenged when Mercury stands off with Saturn.
—Usa Today, USA Today, 17 Sep. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for standoff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for standoff
Noun
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The flag, a symbol of the tribe’s long and hard-fought sovereignty, the ways its people have given to the Elk Grove community, and ties to land that date back, in Elk Grove Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen’s remarks, to time immemorial, launches the city’s commemoration of Native American Heritage Month.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
3 Nov. 2025
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Abe, who was assassinated in 2022, had signaled a willingness to meet Kim Jong Un without conditions to improve ties between their countries; several years later, then-leader Fumio Kishida also conveyed his intention to meet the North Korean leader.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Elsewhere, the e-cargo is built around aluminum front and rear frame components, rolls on 20-inch wheels wearing Scwhalbe rubber, and comes to a halt courtesy of Tektro quad-piston hydraulic brakes rocking 180-mm discs.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
31 Oct. 2025
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And in a situation where millions of Americans risked going hungry with the potential halt of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the group is using that power for good.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Martell said the tone wasn’t hostile, just detached.—
Will Ripley,
CNN Money,
30 Oct. 2025
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The detached house was built in 2013 and has a living area of 3,186 square feet.—
Bay Area Home Report,
Mercury News,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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There’s turning back up until the deed is done.—
Kate Aurthur,
Variety,
7 Nov. 2025
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When Genevieve’s physics experiment at the 1934 Chicago World’s Fair goes explosively wrong, Ash jumps in to save the day, turning back time by a few minutes to prevent disaster.—
Caroline Carlson,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Not because this 2-2 draw at Sunderland provides cause for significant introspection.—
James McNicholas,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
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The teams met twice during the regular season, with both matches ending in 1-1 draws.—
Fernando Ramirez,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
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As health care has become a sticking point in the shutdown impasse, a bipartisan group of House lawmakers on Monday released a tentative framework for a potential deal that would extend expiring the health insurance subsidies that have been at the center of the shutdown debate.—
Zachary Schermele,
USA Today,
4 Nov. 2025
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The nation's food assistance programs have become a casualty of the impasse between Democrats and Republicans over how to fund the government.—
Molly Beck,
jsonline.com,
4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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In another imaging campaign, API, assisted by AMIGO, was able to produce detailed images of a black hole jet, the volcanic surface of Jupiter's moon Io, and stellar winds emanating from a distant variable star.—
Tereza Pultarova,
Space.com,
5 Nov. 2025
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Although the technology to use helium-3 remains distant, its potential value continues to drive long-term interest in lunar and asteroid resource development.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The four Southern states worried that Southern senators might not be able to hold off the tide forever.—
Time,
Time,
29 Oct. 2025
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Climbing roses should only be pruned in the fall to remove dead or diseased canes, but hold off until late winter or spring to do any major pruning.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
28 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Standoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/standoff. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.
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