: the existing state of affairs
seeks to preserve the status quo
The book became a guide for many restaurateurs fed up with the status quo.—
Ali Francis
Ali FrancisIn much of the world, people are dissatisfied with the status quo and eager to see changes for the better.—The Christian Science Monitor
The Christian Science MonitorExamples 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
Hinton’s work shows how institutions—from urban police to public housing and segregated, underfunded schools—have, through their practices, entrenched a racially unjust status quo.
—Literary Hub, 30 Jan. 2026
But insufficient attention has been paid to the rapid and, in certain cases, decisive loss of legitimacy—the quasi-magical element that helps any stable status quo command respect and defuse potentially explosive dissent.
—Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
As a result, the league is currently operating under a limited status quo, which means some mechanisms of the offseason — such as the schedule construction and release — can still proceed as normal.
—Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 27 Jan. 2026
However, Peled’s move challenges the longstanding status quo forbidding Jewish worship at the site, due to a combination of prohibitions imposed by the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf and Orthodox rabbis.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for status quo
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Literary Hub, 30 Jan. 2026
But insufficient attention has been paid to the rapid and, in certain cases, decisive loss of legitimacy—the quasi-magical element that helps any stable status quo command respect and defuse potentially explosive dissent.
—Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
As a result, the league is currently operating under a limited status quo, which means some mechanisms of the offseason — such as the schedule construction and release — can still proceed as normal.
—Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 27 Jan. 2026
However, Peled’s move challenges the longstanding status quo forbidding Jewish worship at the site, due to a combination of prohibitions imposed by the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf and Orthodox rabbis.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 26 Jan. 2026
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 1 Feb. 2026.
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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