: 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
In stable times, these approaches have been shown to build momentum and buy-in from stakeholders and employees alike, softening the rigid status quo.
—
Harvard Business Review, 20 Aug. 2025
No guardrails will automatically restore the previous status quo.
—Adam S. Posen, Foreign Affairs, 19 Aug. 2025
Without confronting deeper structural dynamics, like fossil fuel dependency, extractive financial models, and short-termism, even the best technologies may simply extend the life of an unsustainable status quo.
—Felicia Jackson, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
At a Fountain Square town hall July 28, Indianapolis leaders outlined a new program that would upend the city's status quo when shutting down homeless camps, pairing methodical closures with a year of rental assistance for all unsheltered residents.
—Jordan Smith, IndyStar, 31 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for status quo
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Harvard Business Review, 20 Aug. 2025
No guardrails will automatically restore the previous status quo.
—Adam S. Posen, Foreign Affairs, 19 Aug. 2025
Without confronting deeper structural dynamics, like fossil fuel dependency, extractive financial models, and short-termism, even the best technologies may simply extend the life of an unsustainable status quo.
—Felicia Jackson, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
At a Fountain Square town hall July 28, Indianapolis leaders outlined a new program that would upend the city's status quo when shutting down homeless camps, pairing methodical closures with a year of rental assistance for all unsheltered residents.
—Jordan Smith, IndyStar, 31 July 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 24 Aug. 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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