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
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Recent Examples of standstill
The result of days of negotiations Thursday’s proceedings came to a standstill as lawmakers retreated behind closed doors and Johnson reached for an agreement to resolve the standoff.
—
Joey Cappelletti, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026
The hourslong bombardment follows a short Easter ceasefire,with peace talks to end the war at a standstill as the United States focuses on the Iran war.
—Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 16 Apr. 2026
Leon’s initial order to halt construction emphasized that the project must remain at a standstill until Congress authorizes its completion.
—Ella Lee, The Hill, 16 Apr. 2026
The potentially sport-shifting news comes after many months of speculation that operationally – both front-facing and behind the scenes – things had reached a tipping point in terms of spending, big-name players leaving the circuit and overall interest in LIV Golf hitting a standstill.
—Mark Harris Outkick, FOXNews.com, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for standstill
Joey Cappelletti, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026
The hourslong bombardment follows a short Easter ceasefire,with peace talks to end the war at a standstill as the United States focuses on the Iran war.
—Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 16 Apr. 2026
Leon’s initial order to halt construction emphasized that the project must remain at a standstill until Congress authorizes its completion.
—Ella Lee, The Hill, 16 Apr. 2026
The potentially sport-shifting news comes after many months of speculation that operationally – both front-facing and behind the scenes – things had reached a tipping point in terms of spending, big-name players leaving the circuit and overall interest in LIV Golf hitting a standstill.
—Mark Harris Outkick, FOXNews.com, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for standstill
Recent Examples of Synonyms for standstill
halt
Noun
-
Which is why Michael’s final cut screeches to a halt in 1988, just as the star has broken out from his family and reached a new zenith as a solo performer.—
Jasmine Vojdani,
Vulture,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The Covid pandemic brought production to a halt, and then the writers and actors guild strikes shut down production again for months in 2023.—
Julia Boorstin,
CNBC,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Standstill.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/standstill. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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