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

Should that occur, all activity loading and unloading cargo containers and automobiles would come to a standstill, while cruise ships would continue to operate, Rooney said. —Kate Gibson, CBS News, 20 Sep. 2024

The shock pushed the housing world to a standstill. —Alena Botros, Fortune, 19 Sep. 2024

Capable of striking all parts of Israel, Hezbollah could bring life in Israel to a standstill and send hundreds of thousands of Israelis fleeing. —Julia Frankel, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2024

From airlines and physician’s offices to financial institutions and first responders, normal daily activities came to a standstill. —Carlos Melendez, Forbes, 18 Sep. 2024

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