Synonyms of stalemate

stalemate

noun

ˈstāl-ˌmāt 

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

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

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

• tie
• draw
• standoff
• deadlock
• impasse
• dead heat
• seesaw
• horse race
• toss-up
• photo finish

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of stalemate

Absent a break in the war’s current stalemate between now and the November midterms, the President and his party may end up paying a higher political price. — John Cassidy, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026

Long-term purchasing commitments could help break the stalemate. — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 28 Aug. 2026

Or require compromise to avoid a stalemate, if the Michigan Legislature retains its current partisan split. — Clara Hendrickson, Freep.com, 28 Aug. 2026

Russia’s subsequent full-scale invasion has largely degraded into a battlefield stalemate, with Moscow’s and Kyiv’s forces vying for the upper hand, though the two sides have recently intensified their aerial attacks on one another. — Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 27 Aug. 2026