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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of standoff
Justin Gest, Newsweek, 20 Jan. 2025
But the standoff would stretch into Friday as the man, believed armed with a rifle, refused to leave.
—Darrell Smith, Sacramento Bee, 17 Jan. 2025
Daniel Popper, The Athletic, 27 July 2024
In the photo, the patriarch himself actually stands off from the center, next to his son, Barron Trump, 17-year-old Kai and four of his other grandchildren.
—Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for standoff 
Noun
The movement's most famous standoff occurred in 1973 at Wounded Knee on the Pine Ridge reservation, where AIM activists, including Peltier, clashed with federal authorities for 71 days.
—Justin Gest, Newsweek, 20 Jan. 2025
But the standoff would stretch into Friday as the man, believed armed with a rifle, refused to leave.
—Darrell Smith, Sacramento Bee, 17 Jan. 2025
Verb
Slater came out of the facility and stood off to the side of the practice fields.
—Daniel Popper, The Athletic, 27 July 2024
In the photo, the patriarch himself actually stands off from the center, next to his son, Barron Trump, 17-year-old Kai and four of his other grandchildren.
—Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for standoff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for standoff
Noun
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The federal law had required TikTok parent company ByteDance to cut ties with the platform’s U.S. operations by Sunday.—
Barbara Ortutay,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Jan. 2025
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What to Know ByteDance had until Sunday, January 19 to cut ties with its Chinese owners, which was the deadline for the ban.—
Justin Gest,
Newsweek,
20 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Related article As humanitarian officials warn people could die as a result of Trump’s foreign aid halt, Rubio issues new waiver CNN has reached out to USAID and the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for comment.—
Lauren Kent,
CNN,
30 Jan. 2025
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The latter caused film and television production to grind to a virtual halt, which has since caused a contraction in the entertainment industry across all segments, from executives and creatives to third-party vendors like catering and pr firms and — ahem — news media covering the industry.—
Ryan Coleman,
EW.com,
28 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Remove anything flammable from within a 5 feet perimeter of your home and any detached buildings, such as dry leaves and pine needles.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA TODAY,
12 Jan. 2025
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But the detached garage and a guest cottage were destroyed, as were all but three or four of the 20 or so houses on their block near the Altadena Golf Course.—
Steve Lopez,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Since 2000, Minnesota has won nine-plus games in consecutive seasons exactly once — when the Tarvaris Jackson/Gus Frerotte tag team won 10 games in 2008, and Brett Favre turned back the clock in 2009.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
17 Jan. 2025
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This was when, fearing for their own daughter, Samir’s parents decided to turn back.—
Jazzmin Jiwa,
TIME,
16 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Nora, the tail-less cat is by far our biggest draw.—
American Booksellers Association,
USA TODAY,
26 Jan. 2025
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But, the morning draw of 13, 23, 29, 32 and 34 was matched by a ticket sold at Key Food, 8890 NW Seventh Ave.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
26 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The origin of the trade discussions with Carolina actually goes back to before June’s draft when the Hurricanes were at a contract impasse with Necas and shopping him around the league, according to league sources.—
Chris Johnston,
The Athletic,
24 Jan. 2025
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The Mets and Alonso, whose 226 home runs rank third in franchise history, have been at an impasse all offseason, with a reported three-year offer in the $70 million range not believed to be close to what the slugger is seeking.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
20 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Phillip raced around the exterior of the house, checking for embers and spraying distant hot spots with water, protecting what had become an island in the fire.—
Eli Saslow,
New York Times,
19 Jan. 2025
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Only the Colorado Rockies, a distant 20th at $129.9 million, have decided not to join in the spending.—
Barry M. Bloom,
Sportico.com,
19 Jan. 2025
Verb
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If Colombia, which has now agreed to accept deportees, honors its commitment, the U.S. government may hold off on implementing further sanctions.—
Joel Thayer,
Newsweek,
27 Jan. 2025
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Still, the play was workmanlike, and after an exciting rally to hold off set point, Sinner eventually forced a tiebreak, winning it 7-4.—
Vogue,
Vogue,
26 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near standoff
Cite this Entry
“Standoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/standoff. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.
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