Stalemate - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
A stalemate is a situation in which no progress can be made or no winner can be declared, often due to equally balanced opposing forces or a deadlock in negotiations.
Definition:
A situation where no progress can be made, often due to opposing forces being equally balanced.
Synonyms:
deadlock, impasse, standoff, gridlock
Part of Speech:
noun, verb
Antonyms:
breakthrough, progress
Common Collocations:
political stalemate, break a stalemate, end the stalemate, reach a stalemate
Derivatives:
stalemated, stalemating
Usage Tips:
Use "stalemate" to describe a deadlock in negotiations or conflicts where neither side can win or advance.
Common Phrases:
at a stalemate, in a stalemate, break the stalemate
Etymology:
Originates from chess (mid-18th century), combining "stale" (obsolete for "standstill") and "mate" (defeat).
Examples:
- 1. The negotiations ended in a stalemate with no agreement reached.
- 2. The chess game resulted in a stalemate after hours of play.
- 3. The political debate reached a stalemate over budget issues.
- 4. Neither team could score, leaving the match in a stalemate.