standstill
noun
stand·still
ˈstan(d)-ˌstil 
: a state characterized by absence of motion or of progress : stop
brought traffic to a standstill
Synonyms
Examples of standstill in a Sentence
The accident brought traffic to a standstill.
battled each other to a standstill
Recent Examples on the Web
In the predawn dark of a rainy morning, traffic on southbound routes out of Beirut, along with roads leading to Baalbek and the Bekaa Valley, were already jammed to a standstill.
—
Rania Abouzeid, The New Yorker, 27 Nov. 2024
An airline’s evolution While its recent profits have lagged, the airline had an unrivaled 47-year streak of annual profits until the pandemic brought travel to a standstill.
—Niraj Chokshi, New York Times, 24 Nov. 2024
Operations of multiple major companies, including Delta Airlines, came to a standstill because a cybersecurity company called CrowdStrike had pushed out faulty code that ran on Microsoft systems.
—Steven Levy, WIRED, 21 Nov. 2024
Unemployment Las Vegas came to a complete standstill during the Covid-19 pandemic, leaving thousands out of work.
—Paula Ramon, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for standstill 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Rania Abouzeid, The New Yorker, 27 Nov. 2024
An airline’s evolution While its recent profits have lagged, the airline had an unrivaled 47-year streak of annual profits until the pandemic brought travel to a standstill.
—Niraj Chokshi, New York Times, 24 Nov. 2024
Operations of multiple major companies, including Delta Airlines, came to a standstill because a cybersecurity company called CrowdStrike had pushed out faulty code that ran on Microsoft systems.
—Steven Levy, WIRED, 21 Nov. 2024
Unemployment Las Vegas came to a complete standstill during the Covid-19 pandemic, leaving thousands out of work.
—Paula Ramon, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for standstill
Dictionary Entries Near standstill
Cite this Entry
“Standstill.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/standstill. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Medical Definition
standstill
noun
stand·still
ˈstand-ˌstil
: a state characterized by absence of motion or of progress : arrest
cardiac standstill
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share