1
as in halt
a point in a struggle where neither side is capable of winning or willing to give in
in their bitter custody battle, the divorcing couple are at a total impasse
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2
as in predicament
a difficult, puzzling, or embarrassing situation from which there is no easy escape
the impossible impasse faced by those who opposed the war but did not want to seem disloyal to the troops
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of impasse
The Virginia Democrat questioned the White House's seriousness about the impasse, noting that the House has already left Washington and would be unable to approve an extension at this hour.
—
Kathryn Watson,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
Its passage breaks a monthslong partisan impasse in Congress over immigration policy.
—
Chad De Guzman,
Time,
10 June 2026
Indeed, these executives say advertisers and TV sales executives appear to be at an impasse over cable networks focused on entertainment.
—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
10 June 2026
The second chapter intertwines misfortune and impasses.
—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for impasse
Kathryn Watson,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
Its passage breaks a monthslong partisan impasse in Congress over immigration policy.
—
Chad De Guzman,
Time,
10 June 2026
Indeed, these executives say advertisers and TV sales executives appear to be at an impasse over cable networks focused on entertainment.
—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
10 June 2026
The second chapter intertwines misfortune and impasses.
—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for impasse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impasse
Noun
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South Korea's Kospi closed down almost 6%, a rout that sparked a 20-minute trading halt, after a volatile week for chip giant and market heavyweight SK hynix, whose share price shed more than eight percent Friday.
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The lawsuit also asks for a halt to all new fossil fuel projects.
Noun
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The upshot of Yale’s report, which is by far the most self-critical of the three, is that administrators bear much of the responsibility for higher education’s current predicament.
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What to read next Once the initial excitement of weightlessness has worn off, the kids realize the true extent of their predicament.
Noun
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The second retrial also ended in mistrial this May, due to jury deadlock.
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Two minutes later, Paraguay’s Mauricio forced a Patrick Beach save, then Australia’s counterattack saw an Alexandro Maidana shot attempt to end the scoreless deadlock.
Noun
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Perhaps every story in which the characters are fundamentally unable to change their lives is subject to this same dilemma.
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Casa Amor, as a concept, is traditionally structured like a prisoner’s dilemma, with neither the main villa nor Casa Islanders aware of what their counterparts are doing while they’re separated.
Noun
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The stalemate on Thursday suited both teams, with Australia going through as group runners-up.
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Cape Verde came onto the international stage with a thrilling show — shocking the world with its 0-0 draw against Spain, where Vozinha was catapulted into sports stardom for stonewalling the Spanish, and on to its 2-2 stalemate with Uruguay.
Noun
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Your leaf feeding, and eventually fruit feeding, pests are almost certain to be pickle or melon worms.
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Both point out that pickle juice is high in sodium; infrequently or in small doses, that’s fine, but if consumed excessively, pickle juice can pretty quickly put you beyond the daily amount of sodium health experts recommend that people consume.
Noun
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The crash also resulted in a large hole in the side of the vessel.
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The piece has seven holes for customization, and it’s designed to be worn at the hips or waist.
Cite this Entry
“Impasse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impasse. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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