stale·mate
ˈstāl-ˌmāt 
1
: a drawing position in chess in which a player is not in checkmate but has no legal move to play
2
: a drawn contest : deadlock
also
: the state of being stalemated
stalemated; stalemating; stalemates
: to bring into a stalemate
Examples of stalemate in a Sentence
Noun
The budget debate ended in a stalemate.
The new agreement could break the stalemate.
The budget debate ended in stalemate.
Recent Examples on the Web
Brian Welk, IndieWire, 28 Mar. 2025
Thursday’s news that Amazon had struck a deal with Bond rights holders Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson to seize creative control of the franchise means the longtime boggy stalemate between the two parties is over, and the new Bond will assuredly move forward.
—James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Feb. 2025
Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 27 Mar. 2025
Outside of that highlight, the group approximately stalemated their minutes as Craig Berube shuffled various options through the left wing spot alongside Tavares and Nylander.
—Nick Ashbourne, The Athletic, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stalemate
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Noun
Rumblings that something was amiss date back to December, when the Wall Street Journal described Bond being locked in a stalemate between the studio and Broccoli and Wilson.
—Brian Welk, IndieWire, 28 Mar. 2025
Thursday’s news that Amazon had struck a deal with Bond rights holders Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson to seize creative control of the franchise means the longtime boggy stalemate between the two parties is over, and the new Bond will assuredly move forward.
—James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Feb. 2025
Verb
While speculation about one actor or another, or one filmmaker or another, keeps flying around, the franchise was stalemated even before the Broccolis made the deal that ceded creative control.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 27 Mar. 2025
Outside of that highlight, the group approximately stalemated their minutes as Craig Berube shuffled various options through the left wing spot alongside Tavares and Nylander.
—Nick Ashbourne, The Athletic, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stalemate
Cite this Entry
“Stalemate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stalemate. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
stalemate
1 of 2 noun
stale·mate
ˈstā(ə)l-ˌmāt
1
: a position in chess that results in a draw when the only piece to be moved is the king which cannot be moved without being exposed to attack by the other player's piece
2
: a drawn or undecided contest : deadlock
the two sides reached a stalemate in their negotiations
stalemate
2 of 2 verb
stalemated; stalemating
: to bring into a stalemate
the talks were stalemated over the issue of payment
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