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
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of standoff
Darrell Smith, Sacramento Bee, 7 Jan. 2025
The fashion industry has been at a bit of a standoff over this contradiction for a while.
—Lauren Parker, WWD, 6 Jan. 2025
USA TODAY, 30 Oct. 2024
Tidy up loose finances while Mercury stands off with Neptune.
—USA TODAY, 25 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for standoff 
Noun
What began about 8:30 p.m. Monday as a robbery investigation in the 3200 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard turned into a standoff with officers and a Sacramento police tactical team that stretched into the early hours of Tuesday.
—Darrell Smith, Sacramento Bee, 7 Jan. 2025
The fashion industry has been at a bit of a standoff over this contradiction for a while.
—Lauren Parker, WWD, 6 Jan. 2025
Verb
Process your fears as Mercury stands off with Uranus.
—USA TODAY, 30 Oct. 2024
Tidy up loose finances while Mercury stands off with Neptune.
—USA TODAY, 25 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for standoff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for standoff
Noun
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Frangieh is a member of the Lebanese Christian political family who shares close ties with former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, with Frangieh having openly backed him in 2011.Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 9 Jan. 2025
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Ulbrich, a charismatic former 49ers linebacker, has worked with Shanahan in the past (Atlanta), runs the system Shanahan prefers and has deep ties to the South Bay.Matt Barrows, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025
Noun
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In the political arena, the juggernaut of old-age policy came to a halt, and there has been no major expansion since the Nixon Administration, and no major reform of any sort since Reagan.James Chappel / Made by History, TIME, 3 Jan. 2025
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In both games, the Rockets defended well, but in both contests, their offense came to a screeching halt.Kelly Iko, The Athletic, 3 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The main house measures in at about 8,000 square feet and has five bedrooms, while the detached guest house has another two bedrooms in just over 1,000 square feet of space.Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 2 Jan. 2025
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Most of the devices were found in a detached garage, where the FBI also found tools and manufacturing materials, including homemade fuses and pieces of PVC pipe.Minyvonne Burke, NBC News, 31 Dec. 2024
Verb
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In 2024, both Finland and Poland passed legislation that allows border officials to turn back asylum seekers at their land borders.Amy Pope, Foreign Affairs, 7 Jan. 2025
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It's been a roller coaster for Rodgers, who has looked like a 41-year-old quarterback coming off a serious injury but has shown flashes of turning back the clock.Ryan Morik, Fox News, 4 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Liverpool have won seven and lost four, with four draws.Oli Gamp, The Athletic, 14 Jan. 2025
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The ability to embed these solutions at the right moment within the customer journey is a powerful draw for both businesses and consumers.Zareef Hamid, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025
Noun
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After reaching an impasse in contract extension negotiations over the summer (Butler possesses a $52.4 million player option for 2025-26), the relationship between Butler and Miami has soured mightily.Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 14 Jan. 2025
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After a long slide toward irrelevance, though, the show is on its last fishnet leg, leaving her at an impasse.Manohla Dargis, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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These surrogate daughters — her relationship with her real daughter, Hannah (Billie Lourd), falls somewhere between distant and estranged — are part of Shelly’s social circle, along with Annette (Jamie Lee Curtis), a fellow Razzle Dazzle veteran who’s now a cocktail waitress at a nearby casino.David Fear, Rolling Stone, 8 Jan. 2025
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The Sky Axe may have spoken, to those who knew its origins, of distant horizons; and now, thanks to the young woman who found it, the skies of the American Midwest are part of its story, too.Peter Ross, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Jan. 2025
Verb
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After winning the Big Eight title and facing Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl, the Buffaloes held off Notre Dame 10-9 when a controversial holding call negated a last-minute Raghib Ismail punt return for a touchdown.Scott Dochterman, The Athletic, 15 Jan. 2025
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At the same time, the incoming Trump administration's policies, if enacted, are expected to be inflationary, prompting some economists to predict that the central bank may hold off on cutting rates at its January 29 meeting.Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 10 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near standoff
Cite this Entry
“Standoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/standoff. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
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