showdown

noun

Definition of showdownnext
as in confrontation

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of showdown The show’s stars are split into two teams for a renovation showdown. — Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 24 Aug. 2026 His mature displays alongside Neil El Aynaoui in the midfield engine room helped to propel Mohamed Ouahbi’s side to a quarter-final showdown with France — the country both of Bouaddi’s birth and of his footballing education. — Tom Williams, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026 The Wyoming commit could have said his showdown with Indiana recruit Jameson Purcell and Maine South in Friday night’s season opener wasn’t even on his mind. — Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2026 Buddhist clergy quickly responded—opening schools in Hilo and Kona in 1898 and in Honolulu in 1902, and sparking a showdown between leaders of both religions. — H.m.a. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for showdown
Recent Examples of Synonyms for showdown
  1. confrontation
  2. duel
  3. rivalry
  4. war
  5. battle
  6. competition
  7. face-off
  8. warfare
Noun
  • Not long afterward, two dozen Border Patrol agents descended on Roosevelt High School as class was getting out, prompting a confrontation in which the agents deployed pepper spray and arrested four people, including a teacher.
    — Emily Witt, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
  • First was the question of how to manage Russia’s elites, many of whom were less than enthusiastic about a direct confrontation with the West.
    — Andrei Soldatov, Foreign Affairs, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of confrontation
Noun
  • Also, Napoli will host Como in a duel between Champions League participants.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026
  • If both top closers have to do more or less the same thing, namely, stay in contention, arguably what has to happen here for either to hit the wire first, then the next question is, who wins in a stretch duel.
    — Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of duel
Noun
  • Nattie challenged Jaida Parker to a submission match for Heatwave as their rivalry turned up a notch.
    — Ryan Gaydos OutKick, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The handlers may represent rival schools, but those rivalries tend to stop at the kennel, pasture or habitat gate, especially when another mascot is sick, retiring or in need of support.
    — Lauren Paige Richeson, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of rivalry
Noun
  • Alongside analysts and external observers warning that Russia’s full-scale invasion could soon enter a more dangerous phase, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that Russian President Vladimir Putin is preparing to escalate the war.
    — Sam Meredith, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Iran is expanding its defense capabilities, an Iranian army commander said Wednesday, after much of the country’s equipment was degraded by US-Israeli strikes in the early days of the war.
    — Mustafa Qadri, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of war
Noun
  • The only intrigue at offensive line was the backup center battle between Hudson and Patrick.
    — Dan Duggan, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Naturally, with three more Salt Lake City wives at the Alter Ego Party, Gizelle is ready to further investigate why Lisa is in a battle with her whole cast.
    — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of battle
Noun
  • Combined with recent updates across several companies in the AI industry, the AI competition appears to have entered a new phase centered on cost-efficiency.
    — , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Horse racing revenue in Illinois had been dwindling for years due to competition from casinos, the lottery, and video and sports gambling.
    — Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of competition
Noun
  • At the weigh-ins and face-off for the IBF heavyweight championship fight, Itauma shoved Hrgovic off the stage and the latter retaliated by slapping the former's face.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The Liberty players participating in the World Cup — USA’s Breanna Stewart and Germany’s Leonie Fiebich — are not scheduled to face-off in the Group Stage.
    — Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of face-off
Noun
  • The legal challenge intensified an unusually public dispute over how AI can be used in warfare and mass surveillance.
    — Kaitlyn Huamani, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Rather than designing an entirely new robotic counter-drone vehicle, the companies combined an existing robotic platform with an existing sensing and electronic warfare capability.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of warfare

Browse Nearby Words

showcasing
showdown
showdowns
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Cite this Entry

“Showdown.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/showdown. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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