square off
verb
squared off; squaring off; squares off
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.
: 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
Crowds of mostly Indigenous visitors, some from as far away as Canada, Montana and Utah, squared off Saturday in groups across two large tents.
—
ABC News,
2 July 2026
Ream’s grown accustomed to such indignities, especially from Richards, the Crystal Palace standout who squared off with Ream in the English Premier League when Ream played for Fulham.
—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
1 July 2026
The rules called for the combatants to square off with just eight paces between them — rather than the 20 or 30 paces typical of the time — and both men hit their targets.
—
Adam Van Brimmer,
AJC.com,
30 June 2026
Subway ridership data for Thursday — when Ecuador squared off against Germany — was not yet available.
—
Evan Simko-Bednarski,
New York Daily News,
27 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for square off
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ABC News,
2 July 2026
Ream’s grown accustomed to such indignities, especially from Richards, the Crystal Palace standout who squared off with Ream in the English Premier League when Ream played for Fulham.
—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
1 July 2026
The rules called for the combatants to square off with just eight paces between them — rather than the 20 or 30 paces typical of the time — and both men hit their targets.
—
Adam Van Brimmer,
AJC.com,
30 June 2026
Subway ridership data for Thursday — when Ecuador squared off against Germany — was not yet available.
—
Evan Simko-Bednarski,
New York Daily News,
27 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for square off
Cite this Entry
“Square off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/square%20off. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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