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
Relevance
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
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of standoffs
When clearing out your glassware collection, keep coordinating sets together and donate the random standoffs.
—
Kaylei Fear, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Feb. 2026
This would be an unprecedented change in Oakland, where critics say the mayor’s relative lack of legislative authority has driven divisions in the local government, including political fights and budget standoffs.
—Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have also been involved in the territorial standoffs but have avoided condemning China’s assertiveness.
—Jim Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
But as their robotic ranks swell, there have been an increasing number of incidents pitting man against machine, from sidewalk standoffs and traffic jams to a handful of collisions.
—Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 9 Feb. 2026
Protests and standoffs with immigration officers were common, particularly in the city's heavily Mexican Little Village neighborhood where Espinoza Martinez lived.
—CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026
The building has served as the backdrop of tense standoffs between agents and protesters following the death of Minneapolis resident Renee Good earlier this month.
—Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 24 Jan. 2026
Videos have shown tense standoffs between demonstrators and immigration agents.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 15 Jan. 2026
The cars have been caught driving on the wrong side of the road, getting stuck in roundabouts, blowing through police standoffs, and ignoring stopped school buses.
—Frank Landymore, Futurism, 14 Jan. 2026
Kaylei Fear, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Feb. 2026
This would be an unprecedented change in Oakland, where critics say the mayor’s relative lack of legislative authority has driven divisions in the local government, including political fights and budget standoffs.
—Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have also been involved in the territorial standoffs but have avoided condemning China’s assertiveness.
—Jim Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
But as their robotic ranks swell, there have been an increasing number of incidents pitting man against machine, from sidewalk standoffs and traffic jams to a handful of collisions.
—Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 9 Feb. 2026
Protests and standoffs with immigration officers were common, particularly in the city's heavily Mexican Little Village neighborhood where Espinoza Martinez lived.
—CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026
The building has served as the backdrop of tense standoffs between agents and protesters following the death of Minneapolis resident Renee Good earlier this month.
—Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 24 Jan. 2026
Videos have shown tense standoffs between demonstrators and immigration agents.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 15 Jan. 2026
The cars have been caught driving on the wrong side of the road, getting stuck in roundabouts, blowing through police standoffs, and ignoring stopped school buses.
—Frank Landymore, Futurism, 14 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for standoffs
Noun
-
Over the next month, in the only weekend games United will play until Leeds United visit on April 11, Palace and Villa both go to Old Trafford on Sundays after European ties on the Thursdays.—
Andy Mitten,
New York Times,
20 Feb. 2026
-
None of the companies have any apparent ties to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor nor is there any evidence that pending closures are related to him.—
Kim Hjelmgaard,
USA Today,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The abrupt disruption resulted in chip shortages and production halts at several automakers.—
Sarah Jacob,
Bloomberg,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Conflict in Yemen has prompted air traffic halts — leaving about 600 tourists stranded on a remote island.—
Ashley J. DiMella,
FOXNews.com,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Having killed Downey, Amos cuts one of his deadlocks and puts it in Axel’s little red book.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
3 Dec. 2025
-
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
-
Some of the money is frozen due to budgetary or legal impasses.—
Caio Delcolli,
IndieWire,
26 Nov. 2025
-
Such impasses typically end when one party decides the political costs of keeping the government closed outweigh the concessions of opening it.—
Prashant Rao,
semafor.com,
11 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
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
-
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
-
To avoid the logistical logjams that had been predicted, the rollout is being staggered.—
Julia Buckley,
CNN Money,
10 Oct. 2025
-
The city has also removed 50 logjams from the Rouge River, Hammoud said.—
Niraj Warikoo,
Freep.com,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The jams quickly began to draw both a vivacious crowd of listeners and a core group of budding jazz musicians.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Feb. 2026
-
These jams typically form in two ways.—
Ahmad Bajjey,
CBS News,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Standoffs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/standoffs. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
