stale·mate
ˈstāl-ˌmāt 
1
: a drawing position in chess in which a player is not in checkmate but has no legal move to play
2
: a contest, competition, dispute, etc., in which neither side can gain an advantage or win : deadlock
The new agreement might break the stalemate.
stalemated; stalemating; stalemates
: to bring into a stalemate
Examples of stalemate in a Sentence
Noun
The budget debate ended in a stalemate.
The new agreement could break the stalemate.
The budget debate ended in stalemate.
Recent Examples on the Web
Connor Giffin, Louisville Courier Journal, 25 Oct. 2025
Democrats and Republicans are at a stalemate over funding, with Democrats seeking an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies.
—Lawrence Andrea, jsonline.com, 24 Oct. 2025
Jason Ma, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2025
After a fourth-down conversion continued the drive, Steen and center Cam Jurgens both stalemated on a first-and-10 run by Barkley that lost two yards at the Rams’ 14.
—Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stalemate
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Noun
Kentucky is already feeling the pain of a weeks-long government shutdown, and is bracing for more as the stalemate in Congress stretches toward the one-month mark.
—Connor Giffin, Louisville Courier Journal, 25 Oct. 2025
Democrats and Republicans are at a stalemate over funding, with Democrats seeking an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies.
—Lawrence Andrea, jsonline.com, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
With Congress and the White House stalemated, some are eyeing the end of the month as the next potential deadline to reopen government.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2025
After a fourth-down conversion continued the drive, Steen and center Cam Jurgens both stalemated on a first-and-10 run by Barkley that lost two yards at the Rams’ 14.
—Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stalemate
Cite this Entry
“Stalemate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stalemate. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
stalemate
1 of 2 noun
stale·mate
ˈstā(ə)l-ˌmāt
1
: a position in chess that results in a draw when the only piece to be moved is the king which cannot be moved without being exposed to attack by the other player's piece
2
: a drawn or undecided contest : deadlock
the two sides reached a stalemate in their negotiations
stalemate
2 of 2 verb
stalemated; stalemating
: to bring into a stalemate
the talks were stalemated over the issue of payment
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