Synonyms of impasse

impasse

noun

ˈim-ˌpas 

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• halt
• deadlock
• stalemate
• gridlock
• standstill
• standoff
• predicament
• jam
• logjam
• dilemma
• Mexican standoff
• problem
• quandary
• pickle
• plight
• bottleneck
• hole
• bind
• quagmire
• morass
• dead end
• fix
• corner
• difficulty
• pinch
• spot

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• predicament
• dilemma
• pickle
• hole
• bind
• swamp
• corner
• jam
• difficulty
• quagmire
• mire
• fix
• box
• crisis
• rabbit hole
• spot
• kettle of fish
• jackpot
• plight
• rattrap
• sticky wicket
• catch-22
• deadlock
• stalemate
• quandary
• trouble
• hot water
• node
• soup
• standstill
• emergency
• halt
• crossroad
• exigency
• logjam
• pinch
• juncture
• strait
• clutch
• scrape

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of impasse

The impasse prompted Martin to look beyond the Beatles’ usual instrumental palette. — Jordan Runtagh, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2026

Reddington had to talk around this impasse, badgering Clancy’s providers about matters such as their use of telemedicine, as though this wasn’t standard practice. — Eren Orbey, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026

All eyes are on a Massachusetts courtroom today, as jurors work for sixth day to break an impasse and come to a unanimous verdict in the trial of Lindsay Clancy. — Rebekah Riess, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026

After more than a year of negotiations, the California Faculty Association — which represents about 29,000 professors, lecturers, librarians, counselors and coaches — declared impasse in July. — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 2 Sep. 2026