From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishstandoffstand‧off /ˈstændɒf $ -ɒːf/ noun [countable] EQUALa situation in which neither side in a fight or battle can gain an advantage
Examples from the Corpus
standoff• However, after a prolonged legal battle, Fleiss said she is ready to end her standoff with state authorities.• The Lima standoff seems to signal a return to overt political action by Tupac Amaru.• The political standoff led to a six-month delay in passing this year's budget.• As the standoff continued in Suva, Commonwealth foreign ministers met in London on Tuesday.• But the charges Thursday were not related to the standoff.• By contrast, the Justus Township standoff has been notable for the lack of any official statements. 