come to a standstill
/kʌm tuː ə ˈstændstɪl/
Meaning
This expression means to slow down and completely stop moving or progressing. It is often used to describe traffic, work, negotiations, or daily activities that are halted due to an obstacle, accident, or strike. The tone is neutral and descriptive.
Examples
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Traffic came to a standstill on the highway because of a multi-car accident.
Traffic came to a standstill on the highway because of a multi-car accident.
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Production at the factory came to a standstill when the power went out.
Production at the factory came to a standstill when the power went out.
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Negotiations between the two companies have come to a standstill over budget disagreements.
Negotiations between the two companies have come to a standstill over budget disagreements.
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During the heavy blizzard, the entire city came to a standstill.
During the heavy blizzard, the entire city came to a standstill.
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Without clear leadership, the project quickly came to a standstill.
Without clear leadership, the project quickly came to a standstill.
Common Mistakes
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✗ The car came to a stand.
✓ The car came to a standstill.
The complete idiomatic noun is 'standstill', not just 'stand' in this context.
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✗ The project went to a standstill.
✓ The project came to a standstill.
The standard collocation uses the verb 'come' (or sometimes 'bring to'), not 'go'.
Related Expressions
Practice
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When the system crashed, our entire operation ___.
💡 Completely stopped running
Show answer
came to a standstill
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The heavy snow caused traffic to ___ for hours.
💡 Stop moving completely
Show answer
come to a standstill