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
Elsewhere, a different sort of apparent stalemate comes to an end when the Nauvoo Legion attacks Dellinger’s camp before Dellinger can attack them, a result, once again, of Pepper’s betrayal.
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Keith Phipps, Vulture, 10 Jan. 2025
Resolving a stalemate is the sensible thing to do as Mercury enters Capricorn.
—USA TODAY, 8 Jan. 2025
Wars usually end in two ways: one side wins, or there is a stalemate.
—Michael McFaul, Foreign Affairs, 12 Dec. 2024
Fonseca was sacked after a 1-1 draw at home against Roma, a stalemate that means the seven-time European champions are in eighth place in the table, 17 points behind leaders Napoli.
—Greg O'Keeffe, The Athletic, 4 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for stalemate 
Keith Phipps, Vulture, 10 Jan. 2025
Resolving a stalemate is the sensible thing to do as Mercury enters Capricorn.
—USA TODAY, 8 Jan. 2025
Wars usually end in two ways: one side wins, or there is a stalemate.
—Michael McFaul, Foreign Affairs, 12 Dec. 2024
Fonseca was sacked after a 1-1 draw at home against Roma, a stalemate that means the seven-time European champions are in eighth place in the table, 17 points behind leaders Napoli.
—Greg O'Keeffe, The Athletic, 4 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for stalemate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stalemate
Noun
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And when Trump caught wind that the Biden administration was moving quickly to auction off border wall materials, Texas put that to a halt.Sharyl Attkisson, Baltimore Sun, 17 Jan. 2025
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Like so many Angelenos, Cheyenne Shannon’s routine came to a halt in the hours after the devastating Palisades Fire broke out on the morning of Jan. 7, followed by the Eaton Fire in Altadena.Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Frangieh is a member of the Lebanese Christian political family who shares close ties with former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, with Frangieh having openly backed him in 2011.Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 9 Jan. 2025
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Musk’s views on regulatory power have taken on new significance in light of his close ties to President-elect Donald Trump and his role in a new effort to slash rules in the name of improving efficiency.Daniel Rothberg, ProPublica, 8 Jan. 2025
Noun
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After reaching an impasse in contract extension negotiations over the summer (Butler possesses a $52.4 million player option for 2025-26), the relationship between Butler and Miami has soured mightily.Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 14 Jan. 2025
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After a long slide toward irrelevance, though, the show is on its last fishnet leg, leaving her at an impasse.Manohla Dargis, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Liverpool have won seven and lost four, with four draws.Oli Gamp, The Athletic, 14 Jan. 2025
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The ability to embed these solutions at the right moment within the customer journey is a powerful draw for both businesses and consumers.Zareef Hamid, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Regional leaders like South Africa have sent envoys to try to broker a resolution to a political deadlock that has stymied trade and threatens further economic damage.Tavares Cebola, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2025
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Biden's decision to halt the merger followed a deadlock last month by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), which could not agree on potential national security risks posed by the deal.Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 6 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near stalemate
Cite this Entry
“Stalemate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stalemate. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
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