standstill

noun

stand·​still ˈstan(d)-ˌstil 

: a state characterized by absence of motion or of progress : stop

brought traffic to a standstill

Synonyms

• deadlock
• gridlock
• halt
• impasse
• logjam
• Mexican standoff
• stalemate
• standoff

Examples of standstill in a Sentence

The accident brought traffic to a standstill.

battled each other to a standstill

Recent Examples on the Web

Then, the actors and writers strikes of 2023 brought production to a standstill, leaving cinemas with fewer movies to show. —Brent Lang, Variety, 1 Apr. 2025

The strike brought bus and light-rail service across the county to a standstill, impacting the daily travel of about 100,000 riders. —Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 28 Mar. 2025

Without Wilcox and Harris, the five-member NLRB and three-member Merit Systems Protection Board will not have enough members to decide cases, bringing the agencies' work to a standstill. —Daniel Wiessner, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2025

As firefighters tackled the blaze that took down Europe's busiest transport hub, flights came to a standstill, sending a wrecking ball through the delicate logistics underpinning global tourism and business travel. —Alexander Smith, NBC news, 21 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1702, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing standstill

• crawl to a stop/standstill

Rhymes for standstill

• anthill
• backfill
• bluegill
• crossbill
• distil
• distill
• downhill
• dunghill
• foothill
• fulfil
• fulfill
• goodwill

Kids Definition

standstill

noun

stand·​still -ˌstil 

: a state marked by absence of motion or activity : stop

traffic was at a standstill

Medical Definition

standstill

noun

stand·​still ˈstand-ˌstil 

: a state characterized by absence of motion or of progress : arrest

cardiac standstill