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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of impasse
As the impasse dragged on, frustrated townspeople took matters into their own hands, literally locking the indecisive cardinals inside the meeting hall and even removing the roof to speed the process.
—
Barney Henderson, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 May 2025
An impasse means the district and the union will continue negotiating, but with the help of a mediator.
—Melanie Asmar, Denver Post, 7 May 2025
After more than a year of bargaining, the union representing roughly 800 City of Portland workers declared an impasse in contract negotiations and could strike as soon as next month.
—Axios Portland, Axios, 7 May 2025
The impasse between government and academia could not have come at a more dangerous time.
—Adrian Wooldridge, Twin Cities, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for impasse
Barney Henderson, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 May 2025
An impasse means the district and the union will continue negotiating, but with the help of a mediator.
—Melanie Asmar, Denver Post, 7 May 2025
After more than a year of bargaining, the union representing roughly 800 City of Portland workers declared an impasse in contract negotiations and could strike as soon as next month.
—Axios Portland, Axios, 7 May 2025
The impasse between government and academia could not have come at a more dangerous time.
—Adrian Wooldridge, Twin Cities, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for impasse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impasse
Noun
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That was after the pandemic lockdown brought concerts — and much of the world — shuddering to a halt in 2020 and much of 2021 (and before the COVID resurgence that followed).—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 May 2025
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Finding that the 1977 law Trump invoked to impose his sweeping tariffs does not actually give him the power to do so, the court ordered a permanent halt to the duties and barred any future modifications.—
Josephine Rozzelle,
CNBC,
29 May 2025
Noun
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In fact, the predicament of Enphase Energy illustrates the risks of heavily investing in a single stock.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
3 June 2025
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Two boaters were rescued from a treacherous predicament on a raging river in Maryland, officials said.—
Brooke Baitinger,
Miami Herald,
21 May 2025
Noun
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has proposed a trilateral meeting between himself, U.S. President Donald Trump, and Russian President Vladimir Putin to break the deadlock on ending Moscow's invasion.—
Shane Croucher
John Feng,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 May 2025
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Now, the city faces the challenge of operating up to six months with just six council members, increasing the risk of deadlocks on important decisions, after the council failed to appoint an interim council member on Tuesday.—
Verónica Egui Brito,
Miami Herald,
28 May 2025
Noun
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Many of Cuomo’s mayoral race opponents have condemned the spending, saying the PAC gives him an unfair advantage in the race and poses an ethical dilemma since many of its contributors have city government business interests.—
Chris Sommerfeldt,
New York Daily News,
27 May 2025
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Here are eight passages that capture the new pope’s thinking as a young scholar on leadership, authority and some of the church’s most pressing dilemmas.—
Ruth Graham,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
Noun
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The more important goal here is to achieve deterrence, similar to the stalemate in the Cold War with the Soviet Union that was based on nuclear weapons.—
Iain Boyd,
The Conversation,
22 May 2025
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When Narváez broke the scoreless stalemate with his blast, Rob Refsnyder held the cover aloft in the dugout.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
21 May 2025
Noun
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Bake a tray of chicken tenders (store-bought or homemade), set out flour tortillas, and offer a few sauces, pickles, and shredded lettuce.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 June 2025
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Its menu includes the 8oz Trump Cheeseburger and the 16oz Trump Tower, both with fries, lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles and Trump Sauce.—
James Bickerton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 May 2025
Noun
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Despite his success, DeBoer’s tenure in Dallas will now be best remembered for his snap decision to pull starting goaltender Jake Oettinger after the Stars fell into an early 2-0 hole in their elimination game against Edmonton last week.—
Carol Schram,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
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Three holes were drilled in his skull to reduce the pressure on his brain (those holes were later filled with titanium plugs).—
Houston Mitchell,
Los Angeles Times,
6 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Impasse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impasse. Accessed 11 Jun. 2025.
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