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Definition of standstill

standstill

/ˈstænd.stɪl/
stand · still
Plural:standstills
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standstill Lexical Profile

standstill Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A condition or situation in which all movement, activity, or progress has completely stopped.

Example

"Heavy snowfall brought commuter traffic across the entire metropolitan area to a complete standstill."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for standstill
Antonyms
View all antonyms for standstill

• Nearby Words

standoffishness
standout
standpoint
standstill
standup
stanhopea
stanislaus

Word Origin & Etymology

First recorded in the early 18th century, the word was formed as a compound of the verb 'stand' and the adjective or adverb 'still', originally referring to a literal halt in physical movement before expanding to figurative deadlocks.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Standstill. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/standstill
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