showdown

American  

[shoh-daun] / ˈʃoʊˌdaʊn /

noun

• showdowns
  plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• showdowns
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of showdown

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

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

showdown showdowns

Morocco has welcomed the end of a decades-long UN peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara, after a diplomatic showdown between the US and Russia left the Security Council unable to agree on its future.

From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026

Two experienced leaders of the largest law enforcement agency in the country face off, four years after their first showdown, to once again helm the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 31, 2026

In their final debate on Friday night, the rivals struck a calmer tone than their first showdown, which descended into insults and was empty of policy proposals.

From Barron's ● Oct. 24, 2026

MLB officials contend that the current economic system is broken and that this Brewers-Rays showdown is a rare exception to long-established trends that favor wealthier organizations.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026

At the end it got turned into another showdown: were we going to keep talking about this all night, or have a vote?

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver

Javadli - who is a former international gymnast - has also been facing potential arrest for e-crimes - online offences - in the UAE after she livestreamed one of the showdowns last year.

From BBC ● Jun. 4, 2026

She primarily writes and produces pieces about geopolitical issues, from superpower showdowns and military conflicts to supply chain snarls and natural resource struggles.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 26, 2026

The Pittsburgh Steelers and Carolina Panthers lost on Sunday to miss out on clinching NFL playoff berths, setting up a pair of winner-take-all showdowns next week for post-season spots.

From Barron's ● Dec. 28, 2025

With the movie industry in flux, stars continue to cluster around the limited high-profile projects that remain, which can mean star vs. star showdowns.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 8, 2025

No matter how strong I holds, it looks like on the showdowns they outlucks me every time.

From Wolfville by Alfred Henry Lewis

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Related Words

• clash
• crisis

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