1
as in halt
a point in a struggle where neither side is capable of winning or willing to give in
a new negotiator finally got both sides past the stalemate
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in tie
a situation in which neither participant in a contest, competition, or struggle comes out ahead of the other
after playing chess for 16 hours, we ended the game in a stalemate
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stalemate
During the 2018-2019 shutdown, air traffic controllers were largely credited with helping bring the stalemate to an end as flight delays and cancellations increased on the 35th day.
—
Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 4 Nov. 2025
There's been little movement on Capitol Hill over the past five weeks as Republicans and Democrats blame one another for the stalemate.
—ABC News, 4 Nov. 2025
With the blame game continuing, the Republicans and Democrats remain locked in a bitter stalemate over spending matters and health care items.
—Callum Sutherland, Time, 3 Nov. 2025
The record for the longest shutdown in US history is likely to be broken in less than 48 hours as Democrats and Republicans show no signs of reaching an end to the stalemate.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stalemate
Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 4 Nov. 2025
There's been little movement on Capitol Hill over the past five weeks as Republicans and Democrats blame one another for the stalemate.
—ABC News, 4 Nov. 2025
With the blame game continuing, the Republicans and Democrats remain locked in a bitter stalemate over spending matters and health care items.
—Callum Sutherland, Time, 3 Nov. 2025
The record for the longest shutdown in US history is likely to be broken in less than 48 hours as Democrats and Republicans show no signs of reaching an end to the stalemate.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stalemate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stalemate
Noun
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In May 2021, one of the largest fuel pipeline systems in the United States was paralyzed when a cyberattack brought operations to an abrupt halt.—
Charlotte Reck,
CNN Money,
9 Nov. 2025
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But Friday night, Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson temporarily paused that judicial order to allow time for an appeals court to decide whether to issue a more lasting halt.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Not to be left out is a perpétuelle montre à tact in 20-karat gold with ties to King George IV of Great Britain.—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
11 Nov. 2025
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In a back-and-forth game that included 15 lead changes and 12 ties, the Heat won the game on a game-winning inbounds play in overtime.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
11 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Such impasses typically end when one party decides the political costs of keeping the government closed outweigh the concessions of opening it.—
Prashant Rao,
semafor.com,
11 Nov. 2025
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Meanwhile, the impacts of the impasse continue to spread, from millions at risk of losing their government assistance and going hungry to massive air-traffic interruptions as winter creeps in just two weeks before the Thanksgiving holiday.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
11 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Not because this 2-2 draw at Sunderland provides cause for significant introspection.—
James McNicholas,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
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The teams met twice during the regular season, with both matches ending in 1-1 draws.—
Fernando Ramirez,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Breaking the deadlock There was certainly a time where most Australians thought the quotas would never come in.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
7 Nov. 2025
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That breakthrough altered the deadlock of WWI and inspired the global development of tanks as a means for breakthrough, not just static defence.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stalemate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stalemate. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.
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