: 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
Sotheby’s decision to challenge the horological status quo has paid off.
—
Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 12 Apr. 2024
Prepared Food Photos challenges this status quo, Branding Expertise.
—Jon Stojan, Detroit Free Press, 12 Apr. 2024
Female drivers are challenging racing’s status quo Jan. 15, 2024
As onscreen representation for women is shifting and more actresses are being cast in action roles, Hollywood needs to hire more women stunt drivers to double for them.
—Christi Carras, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2024
And each one preserves the commission status quo, at least in the short run.
—Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2024
Fortunately, Black women are working hard to change this status quo and increase diversity within the field.
—Essence, 14 Mar. 2024
In other words, the previous status quo ensured that promising startups wouldn’t be penalized for winning government grants.
—Rayana Marker, Fortune, 31 Jan. 2024
Nearly 90 percent favor some version of Taiwan’s current ambiguous status quo: self-ruling, separate from China, but short of full formal independence.
—Amy Chang Chien, New York Times, 31 Mar. 2024
Despite the drop in lower-income households spending at Darden’s chain restaurants, the mix of income types dining out is actually somewhat of a return to status quo.
—Sydney Lake, Fortune, 22 Mar. 2024
Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 12 Apr. 2024
Prepared Food Photos challenges this status quo, Branding Expertise.
—Jon Stojan, Detroit Free Press, 12 Apr. 2024
Female drivers are challenging racing’s status quo Jan. 15, 2024
As onscreen representation for women is shifting and more actresses are being cast in action roles, Hollywood needs to hire more women stunt drivers to double for them.
—Christi Carras, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2024
And each one preserves the commission status quo, at least in the short run.
—Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2024
Fortunately, Black women are working hard to change this status quo and increase diversity within the field.
—Essence, 14 Mar. 2024
In other words, the previous status quo ensured that promising startups wouldn’t be penalized for winning government grants.
—Rayana Marker, Fortune, 31 Jan. 2024
Nearly 90 percent favor some version of Taiwan’s current ambiguous status quo: self-ruling, separate from China, but short of full formal independence.
—Amy Chang Chien, New York Times, 31 Mar. 2024
Despite the drop in lower-income households spending at Darden’s chain restaurants, the mix of income types dining out is actually somewhat of a return to status quo.
—Sydney Lake, Fortune, 22 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'status quo.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to status quo
Dictionary Entries Near status quo
Cite this Entry
“Status quo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/status%20quo. Accessed 29 Apr. 2024.
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share