standstill
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of standstill
First recorded in 1695–1705; noun use of verb phrase stand still
Explanation
When anything comes to a standstill, it stops moving, either literally coming to a motionless stop, or ceasing to make any progress. If you and your brother try to agree on what kind of pizza to order, but your negotiations come to a standstill, it means that neither one of you will budge or compromise, and you've reached a dead end. During rush hour on a busy highway, traffic often comes to a standstill — it simply stops. This "cessation of movement" meaning came first.
Vocabulary lists containing standstill
"All Summer in a Day" by Ray Bradbury
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"The Experiment" and "The World Is in Their Hands"
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The First State of Being
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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.
At the same time, Beretta has agreed to a three-year standstill, during which it won’t initiate or support proxy contests or similar activist actions, Ruger said.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 4, 2026
The standstill at Hormuz continues to create uncertainty around global supply flows, cargo deliveries and future production volumes, said Rob Thummel, a portfolio manager at Tortoise Capital.
From MarketWatch • May 2, 2026
Congress is at a standstill trying to pass key legislation, the military is mired in a conflict in the Middle East, and the president just faced his third assassination attempt in two years.
From Slate • Apr. 28, 2026
But the story changed over the weekend and today vessel traffic in the Strait of Hormuz was back to a virtual standstill.
From Barron's • Apr. 20, 2026
We saw swordswomen jump over houses from a standstill; they didn’t even need a running start.
From "The Woman Warrior" by Maxine Hong Kingston
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.
