STANDS OFF Synonyms: 22 Similar and Opposite Words

stands off

verb

present tense third-person singular of stand off

as in holds off

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for stands off

Verb

Those talks have since stalled as Tehran focuses on negotiating the future of the Strait of Hormuz and Washington turns back to diplomacy.

— Leila Gharagozlou, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2026
The opening holes may not immediately reveal what awaits, but that changes quickly as the course turns back on itself and descends into a stunning, secluded valley that eventually opens toward the coastline.

— Jeff Goudy, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of turns back

Verb

Unlike Paris or New York, which are exhibitionists and appreciate a certain voyeur, Milan, as Porter implied, resists a single definition.

— José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 26 Sep. 2026
That’s an attitude that Paulo Herkenhoff, a septuagenarian art curator, resists.

— Constance Malleret, Christian Science Monitor, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of resists

Verb

The Libra Sun opposes Neptune across your career and home zones, making ambition look especially attractive while the personal cost remains hazy.

— Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 25 Sep. 2026
In 2016, he was endorsed as Senate candidate by the Australian Liberty Alliance, a right-wing group that opposes Muslim immigration.

— Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of opposes

Verb

This pair is a smart choice for walk-to-run beginners who are looking for a budget-friendly shoe that withstands serious mileage.

— Averi Baudler, PEOPLE, 3 Sep. 2026
If the map withstands a court challenge, Cleaver will have to win over voters in both Democratic Kansas City and the solidly Trump parts of Missouri.

— Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of withstands

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.

Browse Nearby Words

stands in

stands off

stands on

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Stands off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stands%20off. Accessed 2 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of stands off

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

heterodox

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Oct. 2

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes