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
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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
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Recent Examples of stalemate
Macron was expected to announce a successor a day after Barnier’s departure but, in a sign of the country’s political stalemate, that decision was delayed until this week.
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Karen Gilchrist, CNBC, 13 Dec. 2024
The events of the past week have ended years of stalemate that had led many observers to believe the Assad regime had won the civil war, which broke out in 2011.
—James Hider, NPR, 5 Dec. 2024
The offensive is the first time opposition forces have seized territory in Aleppo since 2016, shattering the stalemate of a war that never formally ended.
—Lauren Kent, CNN, 30 Nov. 2024
Austerity Budget Macron appointed Barnier in September to break the legislative stalemate and tackle France's mounting deficit.
—Jason Fields, Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for stalemate 
Karen Gilchrist, CNBC, 13 Dec. 2024
The events of the past week have ended years of stalemate that had led many observers to believe the Assad regime had won the civil war, which broke out in 2011.
—James Hider, NPR, 5 Dec. 2024
The offensive is the first time opposition forces have seized territory in Aleppo since 2016, shattering the stalemate of a war that never formally ended.
—Lauren Kent, CNN, 30 Nov. 2024
Austerity Budget Macron appointed Barnier in September to break the legislative stalemate and tackle France's mounting deficit.
—Jason Fields, Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for stalemate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stalemate
Noun
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Conservative commentators suggested recently that tariff discussions with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum had led to a halt in migrant caravans crossing the border.Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2024
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The truce called for a 60-day halt in fighting, which aims to end more than a year of war between Hezbollah and Israel that’s part of a wider regional conflict sparked by the devastating Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.Natalie Meltzer and Sally Abou Aljoud, Los Angeles Times, 2 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The nostalgic tie to the Slim Jim car is not without its challenges.Aron Solomon, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024
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In 2016, al-Golani announced his Nusra Front rebel group would be renamed to Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (Syria Conquest Front) and severed all ties with al-Qaida—highlighting his group was only focused on Syria and did not have any international goals like al-Qaida and ISIS.Siladitya Ray, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024
Noun
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In an update sent to families Dec. 6 CPS quantified the current impasse, estimating the four-year cost of meeting the union’s recent list of narrowed demands at $3.5 billion.Nell Salzman, Chicago Tribune, 13 Dec. 2024
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The impasse deepened as Yoon dismissed mounting demands for independent investigations into scandals tied to his wife and high-ranking officials—an act that sparked swift and sharp criticism from his political adversaries.Michael D. Carroll, Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The map was shown during a broadcast of Friday's draw to show European countries that cannot play each other in matches to qualify for the tournament for geopolitical reasons—such as Ukraine against Belarus and Kosovo against either Bosnia and Herzegovina or Serbia.Stephan Pechdimaldji, Newsweek, 15 Dec. 2024
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The Kentucky Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.Ray Padilla, The Courier-Journal, 15 Dec. 2024
Noun
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David Barnea's visit comes after several months of deadlock in the negotiations and Qatar's decision to suspend its mediation efforts.Barak Ravid, Axios, 11 Dec. 2024
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If it had been tied, Vice President Kamala Harris could have broken the deadlock.Ronald J. Hansen, The Arizona Republic, 11 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near stalemate
Cite this Entry
“Stalemate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stalemate. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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