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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of standoff
Mike Deehan, Axios, 23 Oct. 2024
Now locals are anxious about what will happen next with the Free Land Holders and whether the situation could escalate toward violence or some sort of standoff with law enforcement.
—Noelle Phillips, The Denver Post, 20 Oct. 2024
USA TODAY, 25 Sep. 2024
Being vulnerable with others may feel difficult as Venus stands off with Chiron.
—USA TODAY, 16 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for standoff 
Noun
The deal ends a months-long standoff between City Hall and business groups over how to balance the city's budget amid slumping office valuations.
—Mike Deehan, Axios, 23 Oct. 2024
Now locals are anxious about what will happen next with the Free Land Holders and whether the situation could escalate toward violence or some sort of standoff with law enforcement.
—Noelle Phillips, The Denver Post, 20 Oct. 2024
Verb
Tidy up loose finances while Mercury stands off with Neptune.
—USA TODAY, 25 Sep. 2024
Being vulnerable with others may feel difficult as Venus stands off with Chiron.
—USA TODAY, 16 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for standoff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for standoff
Noun
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Etihad’s move into Atlanta comes as hometown Delta Air Lines is expanding its ties with Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Air and Saudia.Edward Russell, Travel + Leisure, 27 Nov. 2024
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Of particular interest are his business ties to Tether, a stablecoin producer, which is under investigation by the Treasury and Justice Departments for sanction and anti-money-laundering rule violations.Chloe Berger, Fortune, 27 Nov. 2024
Noun
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How Riley’s morning jog at the University of Georgia’s campus came to a halt on February 22.Nicole Chavez, CNN, 22 Nov. 2024
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That means if the plant goes down, say in an attack, a large section of grid, or even the entire grid, comes to a halt.Peter Prengaman, The Christian Science Monitor, 20 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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The families later learned through their teens’ text messages that the two decided to park in the detached garage that the Lees mostly used for storage, Merle explained.Shawn Raymundo, The Arizona Republic, 15 Nov. 2024
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Listed for the first time this year, the 61-acre property includes a sprawling mansion, a greenhouse, and a detached garage with room for up to 20 cars.Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 28 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Areas of Maricopa County like Chandler and Gilbert that swung toward President Joe Biden in 2020 turned back red in the 2024 election.Amanda Luberto, The Arizona Republic, 20 Nov. 2024
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Lifting his hands high above his head for all to see, the Italian gave his striker an enthusiastic round of applause before turning back towards his bench.Liam Twomey, The Athletic, 20 Nov. 2024
Noun
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The Wisconsin Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.Steven Martinez, Journal Sentinel, 21 Nov. 2024
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The Kentucky Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.Ray Padilla, The Courier-Journal, 21 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Healthy river:To keep the Colorado River's heart beating, people step in to do what nature once did Reaching for a consensus by year's end The states appear headed toward next month’s annual Colorado River Water Users Association conference at an impasse.Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 21 Nov. 2024
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Most likely the union impasse will be settled shortly, simply because there is little alternative for either side.Jerrold Lundquist, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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Wells, who is 60 years old, has averaged almost a book a year for more than three decades, ranging from palace intrigues to excursions into distant worlds populated by shapeshifters.Meghan Herbst, WIRED, 26 Nov. 2024
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Like the distant rumble of an approaching thunderstorm, the collective engine notes hint at the constrained intensity waiting to be unleashed.Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 26 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Nevertheless, Los Angeles held off a furious rally from the Bengals and secured their seventh win of the season.Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 20 Nov. 2024
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While that’s over the majority threshold candidates need to win races outright, Watson held off on declaring victory as elections administrators in Travis, Williamson and Hays counties still had to count some provisional and mail-in ballots.Ella McCarthy, Austin American-Statesman, 14 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near standoff
Cite this Entry
“Standoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/standoff. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
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