standstill
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of standstill
First recorded in 1695–1705; noun use of verb phrase stand still
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.
As the car came to a standstill at a junction, I spotted one of the giant black birds that seemed to have followed me around Panama, perched imperiously on the side of the road.
From Slate • Mar. 30, 2026
Instead, the two sides reached a cooperation agreement, under which Elliott agreed to customary standstill and voting provisions, Norwegian said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026
The traffic was so bad it came to a standstill so he checked his cellphone.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2026
Sri Lanka's private bus services ground to a near standstill on Monday after operators went on strike demanding a fare revision to pay for rising fuel costs.
From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026
It isn’t even an inch, but in this part of Oregon a slight dusting brings everything to a standstill as the one snowplow in the county gets busy clearing the roads.
From "If I Stay" by Gayle Forman
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.
