1
as in halt
a point in a struggle where neither side is capable of winning or willing to give in
in their bitter custody battle, the divorcing couple are at a total impasse
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2
as in predicament
a difficult, puzzling, or embarrassing situation from which there is no easy escape
the impossible impasse faced by those who opposed the war but did not want to seem disloyal to the troops
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of impasse
And as negotiations dragged on with no deal in sight, owners declared an impasse and sought to begin the 1995 season with replacement players.
—
Tracy Grant, Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 May 2026
The latest impasse leaves the ceasefire between the two sides in an increasingly uncertain place as the global economy gets hit by the war’s impact on trade.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 17 May 2026
Part of what has led us into this state of impasse is precisely the generations of confident, optimistic thinking that claims to have divined the future.
—Literary Hub, 14 May 2026
Months later, the Department of Homeland Security shut down amid an impasse in Congress over reforms for its immigration enforcement agencies.
—Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for impasse
Tracy Grant, Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 May 2026
The latest impasse leaves the ceasefire between the two sides in an increasingly uncertain place as the global economy gets hit by the war’s impact on trade.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 17 May 2026
Part of what has led us into this state of impasse is precisely the generations of confident, optimistic thinking that claims to have divined the future.
—Literary Hub, 14 May 2026
Months later, the Department of Homeland Security shut down amid an impasse in Congress over reforms for its immigration enforcement agencies.
—Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for impasse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impasse
Noun
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Australian restaurant chain Guzman y Gomez’s attempt to build a burrito empire in the Chicago area came to an sudden halt Friday when the company closed its Naperville store and seven other locations.—
Brian J. Rogal,
Chicago Tribune,
23 May 2026
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Boyd’s good works come to a screeching halt when she and her group are surrounded and captured by Palmer and his little cohort, including Boyd’s former partner, Fred Stanislaus.—
Sophie Brookover,
Vulture,
22 May 2026
Noun
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In the same way that audiences are trying to unpack the central scheme — or interlocking set of schemes — at the center of Paula’s newfound predicament, so was the Emmy-winning Maslany drawn to the inscrutability of her character.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
24 May 2026
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Given the predicament most managers are in, what are ambitious leaders to do?—
Cynthia Pong,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2026
Noun
-
The Canadians needed 28 shots to break the deadlock despite Denmark goalie Nicolaj Henriksen playing his maiden game at the worlds.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
18 May 2026
-
The jury had indicated a deadlock Friday morning, but the judge directed them to continue deliberating.—
Lauryn Overhultz,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
Perhaps no local official exemplifies the state’s dilemma more than Commissioner Jon Lubke of Crow Wing County in the central Minnesota lakes region.—
Jeremy Fugleberg,
Twin Cities,
23 May 2026
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That environment presents Warsh with a dilemma the Fed has no clean answer to.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
23 May 2026
Noun
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Tallinn, Estonia — Russian President Vladimir Putin is running out of time to win his war against Ukraine, amid a stalemate on the battlefield and growing troubles at home, a European intelligence chief has told CNN.—
Sebastian Shukla,
CNN Money,
23 May 2026
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Jansa’s appointment concludes a postelection stalemate in Slovenia after a parliamentary ballot two months ago ended practically in a tie.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
22 May 2026
Noun
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Susie notes that many familiar foods fall into this category, including yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut and kimchi; aged cheeses like cheddar, gouda and parmesan; as well as miso, tempeh, kombucha, soy sauce, authentic sourdough bread and certain pickles.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
23 May 2026
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The difference between a pickle that supports your gut and one that mostly just delivers salt comes down to how it was made.—
Samantha Agate,
Kansas City Star,
23 May 2026
Noun
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Like on the par-4 14th hole Monday, when her usual left-to-right ball flight with the driver went in the opposite direction and sailed into a hillside abutting the fairway.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 May 2026
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The Arsia Mons volcano is of particular interest to NASA because the agency spotted holes in the shield where the volcanic ceiling had collapsed, leaving skylights behind and revealing a vast tunnel network within.—
Tom Brown,
Space.com,
25 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Impasse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impasse. Accessed 30 May. 2026.
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