: 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
The rapid growth of Kalshi, which is federally regulated by the CFTC as a futures exchange, has already tested much of the legal betting status quo.
—
Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 22 Oct. 2025
But that law explicitly provided that the enhanced subsidies would expire this December — and the market would revert to the pre-pandemic Obamacare status quo.
—Sally C. Pipes, Oc Register, 18 Oct. 2025
No surprises with availability report Everything is essentially status quo for the Hurricanes.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2025
But little by little, a new wave of neuroscientists started questioning this status quo, Andrillon said.
—Yasemin Saplakoglu, Quanta Magazine, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for status quo
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Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 22 Oct. 2025
But that law explicitly provided that the enhanced subsidies would expire this December — and the market would revert to the pre-pandemic Obamacare status quo.
—Sally C. Pipes, Oc Register, 18 Oct. 2025
No surprises with availability report Everything is essentially status quo for the Hurricanes.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2025
But little by little, a new wave of neuroscientists started questioning this status quo, Andrillon said.
—Yasemin Saplakoglu, Quanta Magazine, 17 Oct. 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 26 Oct. 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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