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
French President Emmanuel Macron said that the 2019 Paris talks had broken years of stalemate and relaunched the peace process.
—
Anna Batta, The Conversation, 2 June 2025
The tiny Finnish Army—utilizing soldiers on skis and bikes—held the Russians to a three-month stalemate.
—Patrick Sauer, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 June 2025
Then the game froze up, with the teams playing at a stalemate going into the third period.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 13 June 2025
Coming off the most masterful performance of his career, Skubal kept the game at a stalemate for a while.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 1 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for stalemate
Anna Batta, The Conversation, 2 June 2025
The tiny Finnish Army—utilizing soldiers on skis and bikes—held the Russians to a three-month stalemate.
—Patrick Sauer, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 June 2025
Then the game froze up, with the teams playing at a stalemate going into the third period.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 13 June 2025
Coming off the most masterful performance of his career, Skubal kept the game at a stalemate for a while.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 1 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for stalemate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stalemate
Noun
-
About three-quarters of the way through the video, the song screeches to a halt, as the video shows four men listening to a boombox.—
Wesley Stenzel,
EW.com,
5 July 2025
-
On the conflict in Ukraine, Ushakov said Trump emphasized his push for a quick halt to the fighting, and Putin voiced Moscow’s readiness to pursue talks with Kyiv, noting the previous rounds in Turkey yielded humanitarian results.—
Vladimir Isachenkov,
Los Angeles Times,
3 July 2025
Noun
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And in the spirit of Texas, it’s got a lot of features that proudly display its ties to the longhorn state.—
Karl Brauer,
Forbes.com,
7 July 2025
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In recent years, a string of high-profile officials, oligarchs, and business leaders with close Kremlin ties have died under mysterious or violent circumstances.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
7 July 2025
Noun
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The impasse between the two economic superpowers — whose trade relationship totaled nearly $600 billion in 2024 — is weighing on Trump’s broader tariff regime, which is already having a real-world impact.—
Kevin Breuninger,
CNBC,
5 June 2025
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Turner spent a decade in Indiana, but the NBA's two-time blocks leader seemed to be at an impasse with his state of affairs in Indianapolis.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
1 July 2025
Noun
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In his most recent outing, which came in November, Barrios fought Abel Ramos to a split draw to retain the belt.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes.com,
13 July 2025
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And that one draw was only because two days were lost to rain at Old Trafford in Manchester when England were in a commanding position at a pivotal stage of the most recent Ashes series against Australia two years ago.—
Paul Newman,
New York Times,
12 July 2025
Noun
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The tension continued to build until Mexico released the pressure with a set piece goal to break the deadlock in the 77th minute.—
Kevin Dotson,
CNN Money,
6 July 2025
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But even his involvement hasn't broken the deadlock.—
Devlina Sarkar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stalemate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stalemate. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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