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.

US senators agreed unanimously Thursday to suspend their own pay during government shutdowns, in an effort to force Congress to share the financial pain after a series of funding standoffs that upended the federal government.

From Barron's • May 14, 2026

From courtroom standoffs to tense encounters with highway robbers, hats in early modern England carried far more meaning than simple fashion.

From Science Daily • May 7, 2026

At the same time, carriage negotiations with programmers are more fraught, often leading to standoffs where channels are pulled, disrupting service to customers.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 9, 2026

Harsh language has been replaced by calls for calm after weeks of standoffs.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 29, 2026

Such prolonged standoffs would not be necessary, however, for he sensed that his time in Chicago was nearing an end.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson