Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
to square off

to square off

8 4.9
To reach an agreement to end a disagreement
  • phrasal verb
translation icon : resolver
  • After weeks of disagreements, the two friends finally squared off to resolve their argument.
  • teams square off
  • candidates square off
  • Senators square off

Examples

  • In the main event, UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre will square off against UFC interim welterweight champion Carlos Condit in a title unification match.

    Blog text (13)

  • On Monday, October 22, 2012, Mitt Romney and Barack Obama squared off in the last of three presidential election debates.

    Blog text (18)

  • You can't square off with the entire system.

    National Champions (2021)

  • The real question is what happens in a primary, say, if Hillary and Biden square off.

    Blog text (11)

  • Southern Indiana and Wayne State will square off at 1 p.m. Sunday at Cooper in the first round.

    Blog text (14)

  • Microsoft, Motorola set to square off in court over patent payments.

    Blog text (18)

  • The New England Patriots flew over to London as the away team, ready to square off against the "home team," St. Louis Rams.

    Blog text (10)

  • The St. Louis Cardinals squared off against the San Francisco Giants in the NLCS that year.

    Blog text (6)

  • Jones is competing against Chael Sonnen on the show, with the two fighters set to square off in April.

    Blog text (11)

  • Today, Ryan and Zach, who just won in the loser's bracket, square off against Keith and Jared, who lost in the winner's bracket.

Synonyms

to settle
vsto square off
596 3.3

To end an argument by agreement or decision

emphasizes a conclusive ending to disputes rather than tentative solutions
to determine
vsto square off
  • Formal
485 3.2

To officially decide a dispute or question

focuses on reaching agreement to end disputes, not only formal decision making
to resolve conflicts
vsto square off
5 3.4

To find a fair way to end a disagreement between people

focuses on final, conclusive resolution rather than only acceptable solutions
to square up
vsto square off
  • Informal
3 4.7

Pay someone what you owe or agree to end a disagreement

is limited to ending arguments and disputes, not arranging payments
to settle a disagreement
vsto square off
1 3.1

Make people or groups agree after an argument

is used to end disputes conclusively rather than only after conflict
to squash the beef
vsto square off
  • Slang
1 9.4

To end an argument and become friendly again

aims at reaching a conclusive agreement rather than simply stopping the quarrel

Antonyms

to prolong
96 3.9

To make something last longer

How Conclusive

to square off
8 4.9
to resolve
623 3.3
to agree
∞ 1.0
to negotiate
  • Formal
801 3.7
to discuss
∞ 1.6

Surface Forms

square off infinitive
squared off past
squared off past participle
squaring off present participle
squares off third person singular

Morphology

square + off

The sense 'to settle an argument' is partially derivable because 'square' can mean 'to bring into agreement' and the particle 'off' often signals completion, so together they can suggest resolving something conclusively. However, the verb sense of 'square' is less frequent for B1 learners and 'square off' also has other uses (e.g. to prepare to fight), so the precise meaning is not fully predictable without prior exposure.

Etymology

Square off may come from the idea that square meant 'even' or 'balanced' and off meant 'finished', like when people made their accounts even and closed them. So the image of making things even and finished explains why it means 'to settle' or 'to resolve' an argument.