1
as in tie
a situation in which neither participant in a contest, competition, or struggle comes out ahead of the other
after two hours they had played to a 5-5 standoff
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in halt
a point in a struggle where neither side is capable of winning or willing to give in
the standoff continued for three days before the fugitive gave himself up to the authorities
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in detached
having or showing a lack of friendliness or interest in others
the client's standoff attitude suggested that this was going to be a strictly business relationship
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of standoff
Josh Campbell, CNN Money, 29 Mar. 2026
But the government, Paul says, will keep facing fiscal standoffs.
—Robert Costa, CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026
Shardaa Gray, CBS News, 19 Nov. 2025
Maybe we’re supposed to believe that that promise is what compels Lee to stand off against Frank at One Well when a smart man would be running out the door.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for standoff
Noun
But their partnership would come to a head amid a dramatic standoff between DOJ and the White House over concerns about the legality of Bush’s sweeping surveillance program, with Mueller and other senior officials threatening to resign en masse.
—Josh Campbell, CNN Money, 29 Mar. 2026
But the government, Paul says, will keep facing fiscal standoffs.
—Robert Costa, CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026
Verb
Her daughter stood off to the side, crying, watching her brother and mother get attacked.
—Shardaa Gray, CBS News, 19 Nov. 2025
Maybe we’re supposed to believe that that promise is what compels Lee to stand off against Frank at One Well when a smart man would be running out the door.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for standoff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for standoff
Noun
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De Moraes, who until recently was hailed as a hero by adversaries of the former president, has been under fire since January from both critics and allies of Bolsonaro over the justice’s ties to the bank, which have raised concerns over conflicts of interest.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
White tie first emerged in the earlier days of the Victorian Era (around 1840), ironically as a more minimalist counter to the more outré evening dress of the day.—
Vogue,
Vogue,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
In cases of near-zero visibility due to dense fog, initiate your hazard lights and locate a secure spot, such as a nearby business parking area, to pull over and come to a halt.—
Southern California Weather Report,
Daily News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
About 20% of the world’s oil supply travels through the narrow strait, and the recent halt in shipping impacts the wider economy, raising expectations of higher inflation.—
Alison Saldanha,
Dallas Morning News,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Upon arrival, crews encountered a detached garage fire, with exposure concerns to nearby structures, the news release said.—
Aurora Beacon-News,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The fire also damaged two neighboring houses and a detached garage.—
Robert A. Cronkleton
March 30,
Kansas City Star,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The aircraft, carrying a flight instructor and student pilot, had climbed to roughly 1,700 feet before turning back toward the airport.—
Stephen Sorace,
FOXNews.com,
1 Apr. 2026
-
An American journalist who was kidnapped in Baghdad had tried to cross from Syria into Iraq three weeks earlier and was initially turned back, an Iraqi official said Wednesday.—
Qassim Abdul-Zahra,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The results are in for the Maine Lottery’s draw games on Saturday, March 28, 2026.—
USA Today staff,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2026
-
For many, the local bands are a main draw.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But Republican supermajorities in the House and Senate find themselves at a familiar impasse, bitterly divided over which approach to take.—
Matthew Kelly,
Kansas City Star,
28 Mar. 2026
-
The collapse of the deal leaves Congress, now on a two-week spring break, with no easy way out of the impasse that has put the Homeland Security Department into a shutdown since mid-February.—
Stephen Groves,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
This film is about the government ordering the elderly to relocate to distant housing colonies to maximize economic productivity.—
Adam Bell
April 2,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Apr. 2026
-
And to look at a distant, standardized class of object (most often type Ia supernovae) in the Universe that can be observed at a variety of distances to extrapolate how the Universe has expanded over the timespan that the light has traveled from those objects to our eyes.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Chicago Animal Care and Control officials took the dogs to the city's animal shelter for evaluation, and has asked anyone planning to surrender any animals to the city to hold off, if possible, to reduce the demand on the shelter.—
Todd Feurer,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Haimes filed his ruling on Thursday, just hours after Poliakoff and legal counsel for the city filed a joint motion requesting that the judge hold off on a ruling because both parties had agreed to enter into settlement negotiations.—
Susannah Bryan,
Sun Sentinel,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Standoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/standoff. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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