square off

verb

squared off; squaring off; squares off
Synonyms of square offnext

intransitive verb

1
: to take a fighting stance : prepare to fight
also : to fight or argue
squared off in a debate
2
: to compete in a contest
The two teams squared off for the championship.

transitive verb

: to make square : to give (something) straight edges, flat surfaces, or sharp, even corners

Examples of square off in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Of course, Knoxville decided to up the stakes by squaring off with the man in a department store. — Tim Grierson, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026 Far from the first standoff In more recent history, no name evokes such tensions more than the Bundy family, Nevada ranchers who twice squared off with the federal government in armed confrontations. — Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 9 Aug. 2026 As Green sits on the top of the SmackDown roster, Ripley’s return could be imminent and the two would have to square off to determine the actual champion. — Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 3 Aug. 2026 There isn’t anything passive or subtle when the lovers of the cosmos — Mars and Venus — square off with each other. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 29 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for square off

Word History

First Known Use

1838, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of square off was in 1838

Rhymes for square off

See All Rhymes for square off

Browse Nearby Words

square notation
square off
square of opposition
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Square off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/square%20off. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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