standoff
n. countablen. a situation where two people or groups cannot agree and neither side will move or give up. It is like a tie where nobody wins and the action stops.
n. a situation in which neither side in a dispute or conflict can prevail or is willing to make concessions, resulting in a deadlock. Often describes military or political confrontations where progress is halted.
The police and the suspect are in a tense standoff.
After hours of negotiation, the standoff between the union and the management ended with a compromise.
The geopolitical standoff lasted for decades, with both nations maintaining a massive military presence along the border without ever engaging in direct combat.
Deverbal from stand off.
Often used with the verbs 'end', 'break', or 'reach'.