1
a
: a predicament affording no obvious escape
an impossible impasse in which accepting a pardon meant admitting guilt
b
: deadlock
Negotiations are at an impasse.
2
: an impassable road or way : cul-de-sac
Examples of impasse in a Sentence
The players are poised to strike after Thursday's games because they believe, with good reason, that if no agreement is reached by the end of the post-season, the owners will declare an impasse …
—
Murray Chass, New York Times, 9 Aug. 1994
We seem to have been forced into an impasse. We need to understand why space-time singularities have the structures that they appear to have; but space-time singularities are regions where our understanding of physics has reached its limits.
—Roger Penrose, The Emperor's New Mind, 1989
I think the civil rights movement in its early and middle years offered the best way out of America's racial impasse: in this society, race must not be a source of advantage or disadvantage for anyone.
—Shelby Steele, Harper's, June 1988
An arbitrator was called in to break the impasse.
She had reached an impasse in her career.
Murray Chass, New York Times, 9 Aug. 1994
We seem to have been forced into an impasse. We need to understand why space-time singularities have the structures that they appear to have; but space-time singularities are regions where our understanding of physics has reached its limits.
—Roger Penrose, The Emperor's New Mind, 1989
I think the civil rights movement in its early and middle years offered the best way out of America's racial impasse: in this society, race must not be a source of advantage or disadvantage for anyone.
—Shelby Steele, Harper's, June 1988
An arbitrator was called in to break the impasse.
She had reached an impasse in her career.
Recent Examples on the Web
The parties appear at an impasse.
—Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Feb. 2026
Workers could go without pay if the impasse drags on.
—Lisa Mascaro, Los Angeles Times, 1 Feb. 2026
While funding has technically expired, Congress appears within striking distance of breaking the impasse that has led funds to expire across large stretches of government, including the Department of Defense, the State Department and the Department of Health and Human Services.
—Lexie Schapitl, NPR, 31 Jan. 2026
Essential functions will continue, but workers could go without pay if the impasse drags on.
—Meg Kinnard, Chicago Tribune, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for impasse
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Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Feb. 2026
Workers could go without pay if the impasse drags on.
—Lisa Mascaro, Los Angeles Times, 1 Feb. 2026
While funding has technically expired, Congress appears within striking distance of breaking the impasse that has led funds to expire across large stretches of government, including the Department of Defense, the State Department and the Department of Health and Human Services.
—Lexie Schapitl, NPR, 31 Jan. 2026
Essential functions will continue, but workers could go without pay if the impasse drags on.
—Meg Kinnard, Chicago Tribune, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for impasse
Cite this Entry
“Impasse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impasse. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Legal Definition
impasse
noun
im·passe
ˈim-ˌpas, im-ˈpas 
: a point in especially labor negotiations at which reaching an agreement is impossible because neither party is willing to compromise or change position
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