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 standoff
Aditya Jadhav, Interesting Engineering, 3 June 2026
Now, the Education Department and CSU are in an ongoing standoff.
—Jackson Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 3 June 2026
Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 29 Oct. 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
See All Example Sentences for standoff
Noun
Missile survivability One of the engineering challenges for any standoff strike missile is its survivability against modern point-defense systems.
—Aditya Jadhav, Interesting Engineering, 3 June 2026
Now, the Education Department and CSU are in an ongoing standoff.
—Jackson Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 3 June 2026
Verb
Maybe we’re supposed to believe that that promise is what compels Lee to stand off against Frank at One Well when a smart man would be running out the door.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 29 Oct. 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
See All Example Sentences for standoff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for standoff
Noun
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Add in singles by Jung Hoo Lee, a sacrifice fly by Daniel Susac, and an RBI single by Harrison Bader, and the Giants turned a tie ballgame into a 3-1 lead.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
30 May 2026
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Then Bella Perez hit a two-run home in the eighth to break a 3-3 tie.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
Noun
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As Russia’s advance stalls, Ukraine boosts long-range strikes After a series of gains last year, Russia’s advances along the over 600-mile front line have ground to a near halt recently, and Ukraine’s armed forces have launched successful counterstrikes and reclaimed some ground.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2026
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The painstaking work of clearing depots has ground to a halt, overtaken by a more volatile reality.—
Euan Ward,
New Yorker,
29 May 2026
Adjective
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Multiple reports have said Frogmore was two semi-detached homes before Queen Elizabeth gave it to her grandson, Harry, and his bride, Meghan, as a wedding present.—
Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa,
FOXNews.com,
3 June 2026
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In contrast to this ribald directness, Kokopeli’s playsets feature characters who appear detached and disconnected.—
Theo Belci,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
Verb
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For two nights, Mister A’s is turning back the clock to the mid-1960s for a special prix-fixe meal.—
Abby Hamblin,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
1 June 2026
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Pagano teased re-entering the ring, only to turn back around and walk off.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
Noun
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In eight matches all-time, Landslaget has two wins, three draws and three losses, all of the defeats coming against Italy – in 1938, 1994 and ‘98.—
Laurence Miedema,
Mercury News,
7 June 2026
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Nor, did anyone hit the proper Florida Lotto numbers for the top prize, now $2 million for Wednesday’s draw.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
7 June 2026
Noun
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Eastside Innovation, the developer trying to bring a billion-dollar, mixed-use development to the site where Indian Springs Mall once stood, has reached an impasse with the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and KCK over a key sticking point.—
Sofi Zeman,
Kansas City Star,
4 June 2026
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The vote June 3, which was mostly symbolic, marked a new period of congressional unease with the conflict in the Middle East amid an impasse in peace negotiations.—
Carlie Procell,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
Adjective
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The distant rumble of the Central line is a reminder that the real world lurks outside this cosseted haven.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 June 2026
-
Mom got in some distant cousin’s car within twenty minutes of arriving, which wasn’t surprising.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
Verb
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Kim Kardashian called on Lee to hold off on the execution for the testing, and the American Civil Liberties Union joined in the fight.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
28 May 2026
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That put him into the lead, but Suarez still had to hold off the leaders (all of them on four new tires, compared to Suarez’s two) twice on difficult restarts.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
25 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Standoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/standoff. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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