standstill
Americannoun
-
standstills
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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.
See Examples For:
An AFP journalist saw a dozen mental health workers arrive at the school, where traffic was nearly at a standstill.
From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026
The talks are also expected to touch on Gaza, as diplomatic efforts to kickstart the devastated Palestinian territory's reconstruction are at a standstill.
From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026
Home construction in the U.K. capital is nearing a standstill, with ground broken on just 4,170 housing units in 2024-25.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
If shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains at a standstill, however, that could end up costing consumers more at the pump.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 14, 2026
The idea made me think that perhaps I shouldn’t have pointed that out to her—getting a cop’s attention would definitely bring their harebrained trip into Mexico to a standstill.
From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall
After a summer of standstills, some relief may finally be on the way for traffic-weary visitors to Yosemite National Park.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2023
Measures could include debt standstills and sharing World Bank-I.M.F. debt sustainability analysis with all creditor nations simultaneously.
From New York Times ● Apr. 10, 2023
Washington would also support temporary debt service standstills for countries that needed debt relief and sought help under the G20 Common Framework adopted in late 2020, she said.
From Reuters ● Oct. 11, 2022
The newly-released transcript also features an interview with Rosen in which Weinsheimer again brings the proceedings to several standstills.
From Salon ● Oct. 8, 2021
Her brain stammered; seemed to fly loose; came to sudden standstills.
From Tatterdemalion by Galsworthy, John
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.
