stand-down

1 of 2

noun

ˈstan(d)-ˌdau̇n How to pronounce stand-down (audio)
: a relaxation of status of a military unit or force from an alert or operational posture

stand down

2 of 2

verb

stood down; standing down; stands down

intransitive verb

1
: to leave the witness stand
2
chiefly British
a
: to go off duty
b
: to withdraw from a contest, a position of leadership, or a state of alert or readiness

transitive verb

: to remove from active duty
In December of 1944, it was judged safe to stand down the Home Guard … after four and a half years of guarding Britain against invasion.—Anthony Bailey

Examples of stand-down 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.
Noun
The union said Monday marked Day 4 of the safety stand-down, including refresher training for drivers and engaging with outside experts. — Lisa Rozner, CBS News, 22 June 2026 Along with honoring the two workers — killed within 24 hours of one another in Twin Cities construction zones — the first-ever statewide safety stand-down day included discussions and sharing of experiences to help workers improve safety. — Kristi Miller, Twin Cities, 30 Sep. 2025
Verb
Following Mahajan’s death, the union representing the drivers and the city agreed to press pause on the rides, standing down for several days while safety rules and protocols were reevaluated. — Barry Williams, New York Daily News, 25 July 2026 Only about 1,000 acres have been formally cleared, and the presence of the munitions forced firefighters to briefly stand down during the recent Claremont Fire. — Idaho Statesman, 22 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for stand-down

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1916, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1651, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of stand-down was in 1651

Rhymes for stand-down

See All Rhymes for stand-down

Browse Nearby Words

stand by
stand-down
stand down
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stand-down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stand-down. Accessed 30 Jul. 2026.

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