standoff — a situation in which neither side in a fight or battle can win or wants to take further action
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: a situation in which neither side in a fight or battle can win or wants to take further action
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈstændɔːf/
Example Sentences
- The cat and the robot vacuum were in a hilarious standoff in the living room.
- After three hours of negotiations, the meeting ended in a complete standoff.
- My mom and I had a standoff about who would clean the dishes first.
standoff
NOUN[/ˈstændɔːf/]
a situation in which neither side in a fight or battle can win or wants to take further action
The two gunslingers froze in a tense standoff at high noon.
Before the standoff, comes the handoff and sendoff!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Formed in English as a compound word from 'stand' and 'off', emerging in the 19th century to describe a deadlock or stalemate situation where neither party can gain advantage.
Breakdown
stand (to remain in position) + off (away, at a distance) = standoff (a deadlocked situation where neither side advances)
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The cat and the robot vacuum were in a hilarious standoff in the living room.”
“After three hours of negotiations, the meeting ended in a complete standoff.”
“My mom and I had a standoff about who would clean the dishes first.”
“The two rival companies remained in a standoff over the patent rights.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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