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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
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 impasse
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
Germany’s political and economic impasse need not result in a future defined by the far right.
—Liana Fix, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2025
Hamas said Egypt and Qatar, which with U.S. support mediated the ceasefire deal that took effect on January 19, had stepped up efforts to break the impasse and the Palestinian militant group's Gaza chief, Khalil Al-Hayya, arrived in Cairo for talks.
—James MacKenzie, USA TODAY, 13 Feb. 2025
Meanwhile, caught between the debt and their tax base, Republicans are considering novel ways to account for the cost of their legislative agenda as a budget cut impasse looks set to hamstring early moves on their tax bill.
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 5 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for impasse
Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2025
Germany’s political and economic impasse need not result in a future defined by the far right.
—Liana Fix, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2025
Hamas said Egypt and Qatar, which with U.S. support mediated the ceasefire deal that took effect on January 19, had stepped up efforts to break the impasse and the Palestinian militant group's Gaza chief, Khalil Al-Hayya, arrived in Cairo for talks.
—James MacKenzie, USA TODAY, 13 Feb. 2025
Meanwhile, caught between the debt and their tax base, Republicans are considering novel ways to account for the cost of their legislative agenda as a budget cut impasse looks set to hamstring early moves on their tax bill.
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 5 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for impasse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impasse
Noun
-
In today’s interconnected world, a virus emerging in one corner of the globe can bring entire economies to a halt and overwhelm healthcare systems thousands of miles away.—
Robert B. Tucker,
Forbes.com,
31 Mar. 2025
-
Community backlash forced revisions to the flawed plan and brought the zoning rewrite to a halt.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Chantelle and Kelly, two flight attendants on vacation in the U.K., spoke to Newsweek about their unique predicament.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
21 Mar. 2025
-
In the Heat’s case, the franchise’s unfortunate predicament stems mostly from personnel decisions involving veteran players, decisions largely made by team president Pat Riley with input from several others.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
19 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Their most recent ethics complaints stalled in a partisan deadlock in the Senate’s ethics committee earlier this month.—
Alex Derosier,
Twin Cities,
22 Mar. 2025
-
But in the 66th minute, Kamada – who had earlier come off the bench – slotted home to break the deadlock.—
Ben Morse,
CNN,
21 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
The Role of Blockchain Technology and AI This ethical and creative dilemma could find a promising resolution through blockchain technology.—
Sandy Carter,
Forbes.com,
28 Mar. 2025
-
The frustrated bride shared her story on Reddit, detailing her dilemma in a March 22 post on a forum dedicated to wedding planning — and asking for any advice about how to proceed.—
Bailey Richards,
People.com,
27 Mar. 2025
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
Noun
-
The sammy was a flavorful surprise, with a noticeably strong pickle and a soft pretzel bun.—
Erin Alberty,
Axios,
25 Mar. 2025
-
Seafood trim is used to enrich stocks and sauces, and housemade pickles and ferments reduce waste while adding layers of brightness to our dishes.—
Chelsea Davis,
Forbes,
20 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Bolster burn barrel safety: If burning is permitted in your area, ensure that all burn barrels have a weighted metal cover, complete with holes no larger than 3/4 of an inch.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
26 Mar. 2025
-
Paint the wall, put holes in the wall, hang up pictures.—
Bryce Jones,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Impasse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impasse. Accessed 4 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share