1
as in ties
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 halts
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
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Recent Examples of standoffs
Police have sought Sanchez-Munoz in a pair of standoffs — one in Kansas City and another in Independence — but so far have not located him.
—
Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 19 June 2026
The move came after another night of standoffs between law enforcement and demonstrators at the facility, as protesters could be seen in photographs and videos fighting over barricades as police used riot shields to push them back.
—Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2026
The recent hunger strike has been met with tense standoffs between demonstrators and federal agents.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 28 May 2026
The size of the College Football Playoff seems to be the most digestible of the thus-far intractable standoffs, but still, there’s no resolution on the horizon.
—ABC News, 18 May 2026
But maritime standoffs and stop-and-go negotiations will likely drag on, Su added.
—Anniek Bao, CNBC, 13 May 2026
The company is set to develop a fictional universe inspired by the negotiator’s vast experience in mediating high-pressure situations such as nuclear standoffs, labor disputes and peace talks across four continents.
—Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 20 Apr. 2026
But the government, Paul says, will keep facing fiscal standoffs.
—Robert Costa, CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026
In the lawsuit, DirecTV also warned of what will happen in the event of a blackout of channels, the result of contractural standoffs between major media companies and multichannel distributors.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 19 Mar. 2026
Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 19 June 2026
The move came after another night of standoffs between law enforcement and demonstrators at the facility, as protesters could be seen in photographs and videos fighting over barricades as police used riot shields to push them back.
—Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2026
The recent hunger strike has been met with tense standoffs between demonstrators and federal agents.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 28 May 2026
The size of the College Football Playoff seems to be the most digestible of the thus-far intractable standoffs, but still, there’s no resolution on the horizon.
—ABC News, 18 May 2026
But maritime standoffs and stop-and-go negotiations will likely drag on, Su added.
—Anniek Bao, CNBC, 13 May 2026
The company is set to develop a fictional universe inspired by the negotiator’s vast experience in mediating high-pressure situations such as nuclear standoffs, labor disputes and peace talks across four continents.
—Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 20 Apr. 2026
But the government, Paul says, will keep facing fiscal standoffs.
—Robert Costa, CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026
In the lawsuit, DirecTV also warned of what will happen in the event of a blackout of channels, the result of contractural standoffs between major media companies and multichannel distributors.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 19 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for standoffs
Noun
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The judge additionally said that Sarsour's deep ties to the community and his health concerns were also considered in ruling in favor of his release.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
19 June 2026
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Payton spoke unapologetically from the witness stand about his gang ties and his criminal history.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
19 June 2026
Noun
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Since prolonged production halts can cause permanent damage to oil wells, shutting them down is typically a last resort.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
15 June 2026
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In practice the printer ran for about 3 months (including setup and halts), whereas a traditional cast bridge might have taken 3–4 times longer.—
Srishti Gupta,
Interesting Engineering,
16 May 2026
Noun
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Having killed Downey, Amos cuts one of his deadlocks and puts it in Axel’s little red book.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
3 Dec. 2025
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United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres called for reform of the Security Council's permanent members in his annual statement on the anniversary of the United Nations charter, arguing that the current establishment excludes key global voices and suffers from too many deadlocks.—
Peter Aitken,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The second chapter intertwines misfortune and impasses.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
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The Senate unanimously approved a resolution to withhold lawmakers’ pay during government shutdowns, aiming to encourage faster resolution of federal budget impasses after record-breaking closures.—
Joey Cappelletti,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
Noun
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Another reason is that the federal government is now viewed by many as so routinely dysfunctional that budget stalemates are seen as just one more example of a broader breakdown.—
Susan Page,
USA Today,
1 Feb. 2026
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Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 prompted unified Western sanctions, massive military aid, and rhetorical solidarity, but by late 2025, strategic divergences had widened amid battlefield stalemates, economic fatigue, and diplomatic initiatives.—
Daniel Ross Goodman,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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And that’s just one of Cleveland’s logjams.—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
11 June 2026
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Second, the Red Sox could streamline their roster and finally clear out the logjams that have gummed up the works for the past two years.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
31 May 2026
Noun
-
Steely and deliberate songwriting that casually staggers down the line between rhythm and melody, laced with loose yet conscious jams.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
22 June 2026
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Achieving it in reality would be brutally hard because the target moves, hides, jams, uses decoys, and fights back.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
13 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Standoffs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/standoffs. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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