stand·off
ˈstand-ˌȯf 
1
2
: used for holding something at a distance from a surface
a standoff insulator
stood off; standing off; stands off
Examples of standoff in a Sentence
Noun
The two governments are currently in a standoff over who has rights to the land.
after two hours they had played to a 5–5 standoff
Adjective
the client's standoff attitude suggested that this was going to be a strictly business relationship
Recent Examples on the Web
Jack Albright, jsonline.com, 11 July 2025
After a legal standoff and weeks of detention at a U.S. military base in Djibouti, the men were flown to Juba following two Supreme Court rulings that cleared the way for third-country removals.
—Amanda Castro
billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
Jay Stahl, USA Today, 25 June 2025
Lance Smith, 74, stands off to the side of the bowl, a Coors Light in one hand, a Nikon camera in the other.
—Deborah Vankin, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for standoff
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Noun
James Pabst did not comply with verbal commands and the standoff ensued.
—Jack Albright, jsonline.com, 11 July 2025
After a legal standoff and weeks of detention at a U.S. military base in Djibouti, the men were flown to Juba following two Supreme Court rulings that cleared the way for third-country removals.
—Amanda Castro
billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
Verb
The breakout singer's June 11 album announcement garnered criticism with its imagery showing Carpenter, dressed in a black dress and high heels, kneeling on the ground in a dog-like pose while an unidentified man stands off to the side and pulls her by the hair.
—Jay Stahl, USA Today, 25 June 2025
Lance Smith, 74, stands off to the side of the bowl, a Coors Light in one hand, a Nikon camera in the other.
—Deborah Vankin, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for standoff
Cite this Entry
“Standoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/standoff. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.
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