: the existing state of affairs
seeks to preserve the status quo
Examples of status quo in a Sentence
He is content with the status quo and does not like change.
civic leaders who are afraid to do anything that might change the town's status quo
Recent Examples on the Web
Friends and extended family may choose sides, drift away or need time to adjust to the new status quo.
—
Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 17 May 2025
In addition to its status quo double-big lineup featuring Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein, Jaylin Williams checked in earlier than usual and forced Jokic into tough shots.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 8 May 2025
The Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 requires that the United States provide defensive arms to the island while maintaining its own capability to resist any attempt to change the cross-Taiwan Strait status quo by other than peaceful means.
—Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 May 2025
But sometimes the pretense of consensus can perpetuate attachment to an unjust status quo.
—Jennifer Szalai, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for status quo
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Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 17 May 2025
In addition to its status quo double-big lineup featuring Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein, Jaylin Williams checked in earlier than usual and forced Jokic into tough shots.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 8 May 2025
The Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 requires that the United States provide defensive arms to the island while maintaining its own capability to resist any attempt to change the cross-Taiwan Strait status quo by other than peaceful means.
—Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 May 2025
But sometimes the pretense of consensus can perpetuate attachment to an unjust status quo.
—Jennifer Szalai, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for status quo
Cite this Entry
“Status quo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/status%20quo. Accessed 21 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
status quo
noun
: the existing state of affairs
specifically
: the last actual and uncontested state of affairs that preceded a controversy and that is to be preserved by preliminary injunction compare status quo ante
Etymology
Latin, state in which
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