showdown

American  

[shoh-doun] / ˈʃoʊˌdaʊn /

noun

1. the laying down of one's cards, face upward, in a card game, especially poker.

2. a conclusive settlement of an issue, difference, etc., in which all resources, power, or the like, are used; decisive confrontation.

   An international showdown was inevitable.

   Synonyms:

   clash, encounter, climax, crisis

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showdown British  

/ ˈʃəʊˌdaʊn /

noun

1. informal an action that brings matters to a head or acts as a conclusion or point of decision

2. poker the exposing of the cards in the players' hands on the table at the end of the game

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Etymology

Origin of showdown

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85; show + down ¹

Example Sentences

Today, the men are on opposite sides of a bitter showdown over the company they co-founded.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 16, 2026

The legal showdown between Elon Musk and OpenAI exposed the personal and financial fault lines beneath Silicon Valley’s defining boom.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 16, 2026

The meeting, billed as a "showdown" by British media, lasted less than 20 minutes and he left without commenting.

From Barron's • May 13, 2026

The Ducks’ second-round playoff showdown with the Vegas Golden Knights has become a best-of-three series.

From Los Angeles Times • May 11, 2026

The Pentagon Papers showdown was now the lead story on the radio and television news.

From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin

Related Words

• clash
• crisis