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

Six days into a strike against King Soopers in the Denver area and Pueblo, the company and the union appeared to be at a standstill, with both sides filing unfair labor practice complaints and sending a roundabout of emails. —Judith Kohler, The Denver Post, 11 Feb. 2025

The Minnesota House kick-starts its legislative session this week after spending the first month of the session at a standstill. —Dana Ferguson, Twin Cities, 10 Feb. 2025

At one point, the blood trail disappeared due to patches of bare ground, leaving them at a standstill. —Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 7 Feb. 2025

But much of that progress may now be at a standstill. —Barbara Kates-Garnick, The Conversation, 6 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1702, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing standstill

• crawl to a stop/standstill

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