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Synonyms

square off

British  

verb

  1. (intr, adverb) to assume a posture of offence or defence, as in boxing

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
square off Idioms  

  1. Take a fighting stance, prepare to fight, as in As they squared off, the teacher came out and stopped them, or The ambassador said the two countries were squaring off. [First half of 1800s]

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

New Jersey’s taxman was watching Spain and Argentina square off, Raiola said.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 19, 2026

The public is about to square off with the bond market in Britain, and the country’s politicians are struggling to play both sides.

From Barron's ● May 29, 2026

The two will square off in the Peach State’s Senate runoff on June 16.

From Slate ● May 28, 2026

He’s on firmer footing exploring his two leads as they square off inside this smoldering crucible.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 24, 2026

Natasha does the same thing and they square off, mirror images of each other.

From "The Sun Is Also a Star" by Nicola Yoon

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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