standstill
noun
stand·still
ˈstan(d)-ˌstil 
: a state characterized by absence of motion or of progress : stop
brought traffic to a standstill
Examples of standstill in a Sentence
The accident brought traffic to a standstill.
battled each other to a standstill
Recent Examples on the Web
Labs hit pause Scientists are panicked, and hundreds of studies are at a standstill, including ones on pancreatic cancer, brain injuries and child health.
—
Benjamin Mueller, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2025
Nor had the West anticipated that the Houthis in Yemen, a supposedly ragtag militia that had received a large arsenal of missiles from Tehran, would be capable of bringing global shipping in the Red Sea to a near standstill.
—Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025
On the night of April 14, 1936, traffic on Seventh Avenue near 131st Street in New York City’s Harlem neighborhood was at a virtual standstill, the roads jammed for ten blocks.
—Brandon Tensley, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Feb. 2025
His skating, skill and smarts all get very high marks, with a standout quickness from a standstill that matches his quick reads of the ice.
—Scott Wheeler, The Athletic, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for standstill
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Benjamin Mueller, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2025
Nor had the West anticipated that the Houthis in Yemen, a supposedly ragtag militia that had received a large arsenal of missiles from Tehran, would be capable of bringing global shipping in the Red Sea to a near standstill.
—Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025
On the night of April 14, 1936, traffic on Seventh Avenue near 131st Street in New York City’s Harlem neighborhood was at a virtual standstill, the roads jammed for ten blocks.
—Brandon Tensley, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Feb. 2025
His skating, skill and smarts all get very high marks, with a standout quickness from a standstill that matches his quick reads of the ice.
—Scott Wheeler, The Athletic, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for standstill
Cite this Entry
“Standstill.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/standstill. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
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Medical Definition
standstill
noun
stand·still
ˈstand-ˌstil
: a state characterized by absence of motion or of progress : arrest
cardiac standstill
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