square off

verb

squared off; squaring off; squares off

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.
The action continues as the Dallas Mavericks square off against the Golden State Warriors. Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 25 Dec. 2025 Prepare for your compassion to be tested when Venus squares off with Neptune. Usa Today, USA Today, 23 Dec. 2025 The eyes of the NFL world will be on the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens in primetime as the teams square off in a Sunday Night Football game with playoff implications. Matt Schooley, CBS News, 21 Dec. 2025 Less than 48 hours after the Suns beat Golden State in a chippy one-point game, the teams squared off again, this time in the Bay Area. Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 21 Dec. 2025 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

Cite this Entry

“Square off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/square%20off. Accessed 1 Jan. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!