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
Iran was already suffering economically before the war, but the conflict has sparked even higher inflation and brought many industries to a standstill.
From Barron's • Mar. 27, 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
Ahead of me, the crowd slows to a standstill as a Tribal caravan twenty wagons long ambles across the square.
From "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir
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.
