standoff
Neither side yields
A standoff is a situation where opposing sides are deadlocked, neither able to advance or prevail: The hostage situation turned into a tense standoff with police.
In sports and games, a standoff is a tie.
As an adjective, standoff describes someone aloof or unfriendly—more commonly standoffish: He has a standoff manner that puts people off.
Decisive final confrontation
- clashViolent disagreement or collision
- conflictOpposition between parties
- stalemateMutual obstruction preventing progress
- deadlockMutual blocking, no progress
impasse · dispute · skirmish · hostility · tension · gridlock · struggle · antagonism
Progressive increase in intensity
- deterrencePrevention via threatened consequences
- diplomacyNegotiation between nations
- negotiationDiscussion seeking mutual accord
- ultimatumNon-negotiable final terms
leverage · posturing · bluff · gambit · chicken · gamesmanship · staredown · nerves
showdown
Decisive final confrontation
- clashViolent disagreement or collision
- conflictOpposition between parties
- stalemateMutual obstruction preventing progress
deadlock · impasse · dispute · skirmish · hostility · tension · gridlock · struggle · antagonism · rivalry
escalation
Progressive increase in intensity
- deterrencePrevention via threatened consequences
- diplomacyNegotiation between nations
- negotiationDiscussion seeking mutual accord
ultimatum · leverage · posturing · bluff · gambit · chicken · gamesmanship · staredown · nerves · calculation
spacer
Device maintaining separation
hardware · screw · bolt · post · separator · insulator · clearance · offset · fitting · riser
- conflictsargument, fight, war, battle, dispute
- cop filmsBeverly Hills Cop, Lethal Weapon, Hot Fuzz, RoboCop, Dirty Harry
- Standoffsdeadlock, stalemate, impasse, gridlock, standstill
- suspensesuspense, suspenseful, tension, nail-biter, nail-biting
- scenesopening scene, closing scene, final scene, death scene, love scene
- combatbattle, fight, combat, unarmed combat, grappling
standoffresolution
Formal decision or determination
agreement · settlement · compromise · breakthrough · accord