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
Kara Nesvig, Parents, 15 July 2025
Protesters stand off against federal immigration agents Thursday near Camarillo, Calif.
—Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 11 July 2025
Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 18 Sep. 2025
Two deputies fatally shot a man beating one of their police dogs with a drone following a long standoff at a Pompano Beach oceanfront mansion Tuesday, the Broward Sheriff’s Office said.
—David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stand off
Noun
But earth sign parents can also lean toward being stubborn and strict, which may cause friction during a stand off or while navigating discipline or tough conversations.
—Kara Nesvig, Parents, 15 July 2025
Protesters stand off against federal immigration agents Thursday near Camarillo, Calif.
—Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 11 July 2025
Adjective
The Kimmel standoff also comes as Nexstar is pushing hard for the FCC to overhaul its existing limits on TV station ownership in order to allow Nexstar to acquire a rival station group, Tegna.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 18 Sep. 2025
Two deputies fatally shot a man beating one of their police dogs with a drone following a long standoff at a Pompano Beach oceanfront mansion Tuesday, the Broward Sheriff’s Office said.
—David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stand off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stand off
Noun
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Personal industry ties aside, Harshbarger’s campaign receives significant funding from organizations and individuals with a financial interest in compounding being made easier.—
Robert Schmad,
The Washington Examiner,
23 Sep. 2025
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And recent leaks have brought back to the forefront Sarah Ferguson’s ties to Epstein, as well.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
22 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The authors advocate for a complete halt in superintelligent AI development.—
Doc Louallen,
ABC News,
19 Sep. 2025
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His five-year tenure came to a screeching halt after the designer did not appear at the end of the fall 2011 show.—
Lily Templeton,
Footwear News,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Due to his austere and detached manner, he is known to immediately inspire awe in his patients.—
Ut Community Press,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Sep. 2025
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The consensus narrative of institutional finance has become so detached from empirical reality that diagnosing the problem requires abandoning its vocabulary for the precision of mathematics.—
Benjamin D. Summers,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Law plays Jake Friedken, a hotshot restaurant owner whose life is thrown into chaos when his black sheep older brother, Vince (Jason Bateman), turns back up after years on the run.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
19 Sep. 2025
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Advertisement Advertisement Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam have said there is no turning back on this project, despite staunch opposition from Hezbollah.—
Bilal Y. Saab,
Time,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Alan Shearer, the all-time leading goalscorer in the Premier League, told The Star that fans should keep their eyes open for the draw to see which countries may end up playing in Kansas City.—
Daniel Sperry,
Kansas City Star,
20 Sep. 2025
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Toluca has been one of the top teams in Liga MX this season, sitting fifth on the table through eight matches thanks to a record of five wins, one draw, and two losses.—
Kilty Cleary,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Bailey argued that the district’s dispute with local police departments over its requirement that officers participate in diversity training — an impasse that resulted in some departments leaving schools without resource officers — had left students vulnerable.—
Jeremy Kohler,
ProPublica,
24 Sep. 2025
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Some Republicans see the shutdown impasse as a gift.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
22 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Rideshare missions to low-Earth orbit are becoming more common, but spacecraft departing for more distant destinations like the L1 Lagrange point are rare.—
Kyle Orland,
ArsTechnica,
24 Sep. 2025
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Detainees are currently sent to distant jails in Vernon and Johnson County.—
PJ Green
September 24,
Kansas City Star,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The decision Monday came in line with economists’ expectations that Chinese authorities would hold off major stimulus measures amid a recent stock market rally, even as a string of economic data underscored signs of fatigue in the economy.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
22 Sep. 2025
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Russell did catch Sainz, but the Spaniard managed to hold off Antonelli.—
Nelson Espinal,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stand off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stand%20off. Accessed 27 Sep. 2025.
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