as in halt
a point in a struggle where neither side is capable of winning or willing to give in
battled each other to a standstill
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 standstill
Earth grinds to a standstill, with everyone glued to their screens as news anchors around the world react in real time to the shocking evidence.
—
Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 12 June 2026
Cartel violence may be less of an issue than street protests by groups trying to capitalize on the World Cup spotlight to cause unrest, traffic disruptions and bringing central parts of the city to a standstill.
—ABC News, 10 June 2026
But on June 13, Haiti itself will be at a standstill during the games, and across the diaspora – in Boston, New York, Houston, Montreal and Paris, but also in the Bahamas, Brazil, Chile and other parts of Latin America – crowds will gather to be together in pride.
—Laurent Dubois, The Conversation, 10 June 2026
Five climate protesters were arrested Monday after bringing morning traffic to a standstill in Back Bay, Boston Police said.
—Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 8 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for standstill
Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 12 June 2026
Cartel violence may be less of an issue than street protests by groups trying to capitalize on the World Cup spotlight to cause unrest, traffic disruptions and bringing central parts of the city to a standstill.
—ABC News, 10 June 2026
But on June 13, Haiti itself will be at a standstill during the games, and across the diaspora – in Boston, New York, Houston, Montreal and Paris, but also in the Bahamas, Brazil, Chile and other parts of Latin America – crowds will gather to be together in pride.
—Laurent Dubois, The Conversation, 10 June 2026
Five climate protesters were arrested Monday after bringing morning traffic to a standstill in Back Bay, Boston Police said.
—Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 8 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for standstill
Recent Examples of Synonyms for standstill
halt
Noun
-
The Huskies got a run back in the fifth and had two men on base with nobody out in the seventh when the rain brought things to a halt.—
Dave Wright,
Twin Cities,
11 June 2026
-
Ukraine's successes have highlighted its ability to inflict painful damage on Russia and change the course of the conflict while Moscow’s advances recently have ground to a near halt.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Standstill.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/standstill. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
