Standoff
//ˈstændɒf// adj, noun, verb
adj, noun, verb ·Moderate ·High school level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A device which maintains a fixed distance between two objects, especially between a surface and a sign or electrical wiring.
- 2 the act of repulsing or repelling an attack; a successful defensive stand wordnet
- 3 A deadlocked confrontation between antagonists.
"I don't want to get involved in the standoff between those two."
- 4 the finish of a contest in which the score is tied and the winner is undecided wordnet
Verb
- 1 Nonstandard spelling of stand off. alt-of, nonstandard
Adjective
- 1 For use at a distance sufficient from the target to allow defensive fire to be evaded. not-comparable
"a standoff bomb, missile, or weapon"
Example
More examples"There's a great scene in that old movie showing a Mexican standoff: all the men are ready to draw their guns if anyone else draws his gun, but nobody is willing to make the first move."
Etymology
Deverbal from stand off.
Related phrases
More for "standoff"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.