standstill

[stand-stil]

noun

1. a state of cessation of movement or action; halt; stop.

   The ball rolled to a standstill.

standstill

/ ˈstændˌstɪl /

noun

1. a complete cessation of movement; stop; halt

   the car came to a standstill

Word History and Origins

Origin of standstill¹

First recorded in 1695–1705; noun use of verb phrase stand still

Idioms and Phrases

see come to a halt (standstill).

Example Sentences

More than a dozen tractors could be seen parked outside Parliament on Wednesday morning, with rush-hour traffic brought to a standstill and farmers repeatedly sounding the tractor horns while police stood watching.

Read more on BBC

His resistance tactics have included calling for street protests and "ghost town" operations aimed at bringing cities and towns to a standstill.

Read more on BBC

If the world came to a standstill at midnight on January 1, 2000, at least she would have two things she cherished: peaches and Michael.

Read more on Literature

Giavanna Vega, a former entry-level recruiter and internship program director at Automation Anywhere, which streamlines business processes, described the hiring environment as at a standstill.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

But talks broke down again last winter, and negotiations have remained at a standstill for more than six months.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• dead end 
• deadlock 
• impasse 
• stalemate