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

Appeared in the April 27, 2026, print edition as 'A Fourth Amendment Tech Showdown'.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 26, 2026

Kid Soul: When we did Showdown, we got 44 crews and auditioned them all.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 10, 2025

Saracens, who have previously booked Wembley, will host Harlequins in March at the 62,850-seater Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for The Showdown.

From BBC • Dec. 27, 2024

"Blue Ribbon" marks the second phase of Lee's return to television in a big way this year, after "Dinner Budget Showdown" debuted on the Roku Channel in May.

From Salon • Aug. 19, 2024

Grammy is so excited, you’d think she won the Showcase Showdown.

From "Shouting at the Rain" by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Related Words

• clash
• crisis