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
Leverkusen have not quite surrendered their title yet, but the stalemate Bayern were able to grind out on Saturday preserved an eight-point lead at the top of the table.
—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, The Athletic, 16 Feb. 2025
But in North Carolina, things have been at a stalemate.
—Julia Coin, Charlotte Observer, 13 Feb. 2025
As the stalemate continued, the city filed a lawsuit against hotel ownership seeking $5 million in damages, ultimately leading to a settlement in November that cleared the way for the building’s demise.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacramento Bee, 16 Mar. 2025
Some temporary stalemates are fully resolved over time—consider Germany, which reunified in 1990, four decades after its division.
—G. John Ikenberry, Foreign Affairs, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stalemate
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, The Athletic, 16 Feb. 2025
But in North Carolina, things have been at a stalemate.
—Julia Coin, Charlotte Observer, 13 Feb. 2025
As the stalemate continued, the city filed a lawsuit against hotel ownership seeking $5 million in damages, ultimately leading to a settlement in November that cleared the way for the building’s demise.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacramento Bee, 16 Mar. 2025
Some temporary stalemates are fully resolved over time—consider Germany, which reunified in 1990, four decades after its division.
—G. John Ikenberry, Foreign Affairs, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stalemate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stalemate
Noun
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But Putin had other ideas, tying a halt in hostilities to the West readmitting certain Russian banks into the West’s financial network.—
Daniel DePetris,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2025
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More than 1,000 clinical trials have come to a halt across the country and world, ranging from cardiovascular disease treatment to HIV prevention, to childhood and adult cancer treatment.—
Gordon G. Chang,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Tatis’ home run last night was his 65th at Petco Park, moving him into a tie with Adrián González for second most behind Machado’s 91.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Apr. 2025
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Arteta understandably is more risk-averse in knockout European ties, but Premier League matches sometimes need to be forcibly opened up — even at the risk of fatigue or becoming defensively compromised.—
Liam Tharme,
New York Times,
13 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Members of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 265 walked off the job Monday after contract negotiations ended in an impasse last week.—
Caelyn Pender,
The Mercury News,
13 Mar. 2025
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Now the Comcast impasse threatens to keep the White Sox off the air on the largest pay-TV provider in the Chicago market, a potentially devastating blow to the fans, the team and the new regional sports network.—
Robert Channick,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Shapiro says Colossal’s technique, which uses routine blood draws, yields cells that are easier to reprogram than those that come from skin—and could thus be a better way of diversifying the red wolf gene pool.—
Andrea Thompson,
Scientific American,
8 Apr. 2025
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Winners in Georgia have 180 days from the draw date to claim prizes and are encouraged to sign the back of their ticket, according to the lottery’s website.—
Tanasia Kenney,
Miami Herald,
8 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The race is nonpartisan, but the incoming supervisor will break the 2-2 deadlock between the two Democrats and the two Republicans on the current Board of Supervisors.—
Maura Fox,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Apr. 2025
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The ongoing deadlock raises the risk of direct conflict between the U.S. and Iran in an already unstable Middle East, where an American aircraft carrier strike group is leading a U.S. military operation against the Houthi militants in Yemen.—
Lee Habeeb,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stalemate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stalemate. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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