stalemates

noun

plural of stalemate
1
as in halts
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 ties
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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of stalemates Tired of budget stalemates, deficits and continuous acrimony in the state Capitol, California voters in 2010 started taking action to temper political gridlock and loosen the grip of entrenched special interests. — Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2026 The legislation's passage represented a rare moment of bipartisan achievement in a Congress that has been marked by obstruction and a series of stalemates. — Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 24 June 2026 Another reason is that the federal government is now viewed by many as so routinely dysfunctional that budget stalemates are seen as just one more example of a broader breakdown. — Susan Page, USA Today, 1 Feb. 2026 Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 prompted unified Western sanctions, massive military aid, and rhetorical solidarity, but by late 2025, strategic divergences had widened amid battlefield stalemates, economic fatigue, and diplomatic initiatives. — Daniel Ross Goodman, The Washington Examiner, 9 Jan. 2026 The stalemates were the latest in the finger-pointing between Democrats and Republicans over who was responsible for the prolonged shutdown. — Lawrence Andrea, jsonline.com, 24 Oct. 2025 Netanyahu once shunned long wars and ground operations, aware of the cost and political capital that resulted in indecisive conclusions or stalemates. — Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stalemates
  1. halts
  2. ties
  3. impasses
  4. draws
  5. deadlocks
Noun
  • That was March 2020, when the CEOs of General Motors, Ford, and Fiat Chrysler tried to coordinate production halts over Covid-19 fears, only to be warned by their lawyers that doing so could violate antitrust rules.
    — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 17 Sep. 2026
  • The automatic stay halts proceedings but doesn't compel creditors to undo pre-petition filings without operative effect.
    — Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 27 June 2026
Definition of halts
Noun
  • The run ties for the longest run of Mensah’s collegiate career.
    — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 4 Oct. 2026
  • India is trying to balance its ties with Russia against its growing partnerships with the United States and other Western powers.
    — HANNA ARHIROVA, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of ties
Noun
  • The unsanctioned parades of cars decked out in Mexican flags have previously led to major traffic jams and impasses for emergency vehicles.
    — Allison Kiehl, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2026
  • California law bars law enforcement officers and firefighters from striking against public employers, instead providing dispute-resolution procedures for labor impasses.
    — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of impasses
Noun
  • Nobody got lucky in the grandest way with the Florida Lotto or Fantasy 5 midday draws, either.
    — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026
  • For Hendrikx, two subjects in the book particularly stand out for their different draws to the same passion.
    — Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of draws
Noun
  • Disputes within legislatures sometimes led to deadlocks, and many states opted to select senators in partisan primaries or a general election.
    — Christopher A. Cooper, The Conversation, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The reforms center on breaking veto-heavy decision deadlocks, bringing poorer economies into global supply chains, cracking down on unfair state subsidies and rewriting outdated 20th-century trade rules.
    — Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of deadlocks

Browse Nearby Words

stalemate
stalemates
staleness
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Cite this Entry

“Stalemates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stalemates. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

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