1
a
: a predicament affording no obvious escape
an impossible impasse in which accepting a pardon meant admitting guilt
b
: deadlock
Negotiations are at an impasse.
2
: an impassable road or way : cul-de-sac
Examples of impasse in a Sentence
The players are poised to strike after Thursday's games because they believe, with good reason, that if no agreement is reached by the end of the post-season, the owners will declare an impasse …
—
Murray Chass, New York Times, 9 Aug. 1994
We seem to have been forced into an impasse. We need to understand why space-time singularities have the structures that they appear to have; but space-time singularities are regions where our understanding of physics has reached its limits.
—Roger Penrose, The Emperor's New Mind, 1989
I think the civil rights movement in its early and middle years offered the best way out of America's racial impasse: in this society, race must not be a source of advantage or disadvantage for anyone.
—Shelby Steele, Harper's, June 1988
An arbitrator was called in to break the impasse.
She had reached an impasse in her career.
Murray Chass, New York Times, 9 Aug. 1994
We seem to have been forced into an impasse. We need to understand why space-time singularities have the structures that they appear to have; but space-time singularities are regions where our understanding of physics has reached its limits.
—Roger Penrose, The Emperor's New Mind, 1989
I think the civil rights movement in its early and middle years offered the best way out of America's racial impasse: in this society, race must not be a source of advantage or disadvantage for anyone.
—Shelby Steele, Harper's, June 1988
An arbitrator was called in to break the impasse.
She had reached an impasse in her career.
Recent Examples on the Web
Daniel Heuer/Bloomberg via Getty Images Democrats and Republicans seem to be at an impasse over whether and how to extend enhanced premium subsidies for health insurance bought on the Affordable Care Act marketplace, as a key enrollment deadline to secure coverage fast approaches.
—Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 12 Dec. 2025
As part of the deal to end the funding impasse, Republicans vowed to hold a vote on whether to extend the ACA credits by mid-December.
—Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 12 Dec. 2025
Davis’ wife Altovise and Sinatra’s wife Barbara quietly conspired to get the two legends talking again, slowly thawing the impasse between them.
—Scott Huver, PEOPLE, 12 Dec. 2025
Earlier this year, Florida’s legislative leaders found themselves at a weekslong impasse during budget negotiations, as Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez pushed for major cuts, including a sweeping sales tax reduction.
—Romy Ellenbogen, Miami Herald, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for impasse
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Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 12 Dec. 2025
As part of the deal to end the funding impasse, Republicans vowed to hold a vote on whether to extend the ACA credits by mid-December.
—Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 12 Dec. 2025
Davis’ wife Altovise and Sinatra’s wife Barbara quietly conspired to get the two legends talking again, slowly thawing the impasse between them.
—Scott Huver, PEOPLE, 12 Dec. 2025
Earlier this year, Florida’s legislative leaders found themselves at a weekslong impasse during budget negotiations, as Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez pushed for major cuts, including a sweeping sales tax reduction.
—Romy Ellenbogen, Miami Herald, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for impasse
Cite this Entry
“Impasse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impasse. Accessed 13 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Legal Definition
impasse
noun
im·passe
ˈim-ˌpas, im-ˈpas 
: a point in especially labor negotiations at which reaching an agreement is impossible because neither party is willing to compromise or change position
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