Synonyms of standstill

standstill

noun

ˈstan(d)-ˌstil 

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

• halt
• gridlock
• deadlock
• stalemate
• impasse
• jam
• standoff
• predicament
• logjam
• dilemma
• Mexican standoff
• problem
• bottleneck
• pickle
• bind
• dead end
• plight
• quandary
• quagmire
• corner
• hole
• morass
• difficulty
• pinch
• fix
• spot

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of standstill

Though Paris’s art scene will be altered by the protests this weekend, it will not be entirely brought to a standstill. — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 22 Oct. 2026

High schoolers chanted, holding cardboard signs and joining hands with soixante-huitards – May 1968 protesters who once helped bring the country to a standstill in their calls for change. — Colette Davidson, Christian Science Monitor, 19 Oct. 2026

The threat that the Houthis could bring another critical maritime chokepoint to a standstill, much like Iran has done with the Strait of Hormuz, could give Tehran significant leverage in its negotiations with Washington. — Olivia-Anne Cleary, Time, 15 Oct. 2026

Videos on social media showed traffic at a standstill on a highway leading out of Gulf Shores, where double-red beach flags signaled water access was closed. — R.j. Rico, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026