1
as in halt
a point in a struggle where neither side is capable of winning or willing to give in
a new negotiator finally got both sides past the stalemate
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in tie
a situation in which neither participant in a contest, competition, or struggle comes out ahead of the other
after playing chess for 16 hours, we ended the game in a stalemate
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stalemate
Nottingham Forest has been one of the EPL's best teams this season, so the two playing to a stalemate shouldn't come as a surprise.
—
William Lambers, Newsweek, 9 Mar. 2025
As beers are cracked and meatballs are thrown, the game slowly turns into a stalemate that’s irritatingly adept at withstanding external pressure to end prematurely.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 5 Mar. 2025
Rumblings that something was amiss date back to December, when the Wall Street Journal described Bond being locked in a stalemate between the studio and Broccoli and Wilson.
—Brian Welk, IndieWire, 28 Mar. 2025
Thursday’s news that Amazon had struck a deal with Bond rights holders Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson to seize creative control of the franchise means the longtime boggy stalemate between the two parties is over, and the new Bond will assuredly move forward.
—James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stalemate
William Lambers, Newsweek, 9 Mar. 2025
As beers are cracked and meatballs are thrown, the game slowly turns into a stalemate that’s irritatingly adept at withstanding external pressure to end prematurely.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 5 Mar. 2025
Rumblings that something was amiss date back to December, when the Wall Street Journal described Bond being locked in a stalemate between the studio and Broccoli and Wilson.
—Brian Welk, IndieWire, 28 Mar. 2025
Thursday’s news that Amazon had struck a deal with Bond rights holders Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson to seize creative control of the franchise means the longtime boggy stalemate between the two parties is over, and the new Bond will assuredly move forward.
—James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stalemate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stalemate
Noun
-
The Celtics outscored it 30-18 as the Magic’s offense ground to a halt.—
Josh Robbins,
New York Times,
24 Apr. 2025
-
President Donald Trump has so far not homed in on North Korea talks, prioritizing a ceasefire in the Middle East, a deal to bring fighting in Ukraine to a halt, and a nuclear agreement with Iran.—
Ross Rosenfeld,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Apr. 2025
Noun
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But like the exhibition match against Dynamo, the tie would never be played.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2025
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That tie is now broken, and according to Billboard, SOS stands alone as the longest-charting top 10 album by a solo female artist in history, passing the Grammy-winning 21.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
26 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Key members of Mayor Adams’ staff, including Deputy Mayor Kaz Daughtry, ultimately helped finalize the deal after union leaders and the city’s Office of Labor Relations reached an impasse over pay and demands that sergeants start working 12-hour tours.—
Josephine Stratman,
New York Daily News,
15 Apr. 2025
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To break the impasse, the Speaker floated creating a conference committee with the Senate to hash out their differences, or adding an amendment to the budget resolution — two ideas that would throw a wrench into GOP leadership’s ambitious timeline to get a package to Trump’s desk.—
Mychael Schnell,
The Hill,
10 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The enduring draw of karma The concept of karma is rooted in the worldview of many Asian religious traditions, like Hinduism and Buddhism, but it’s also become prevalent in other places, including nonreligious communities.—
Angela Haupt,
Time,
1 May 2025
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Goose This two-night stand proves the growing draw of Goose’s modern-day jams, with the Connecticut band having made its name opening for titans of the genre such as Dead & Co. and Phish leader Trey Anastasio.—
John Wenzel,
Denver Post,
30 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The deadlock spares Nichols, again, from a death sentence.—
Todd Pendleton,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
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Davison broke that deadlock with a tough driving layup.—
Zack Cox,
Hartford Courant,
13 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stalemate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stalemate. Accessed 5 May. 2025.
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