Meaning & use

impasse

noun·Academic

A situation in which no progress can be made because opposing sides refuse to compromise.

See it in a sentence

The union and management reached an impasse after eight hours of negotiation.

Talks over the border dispute hit an impasse when neither country would yield territory.

A note on using this word

Impasse is typically used with the verb 'reach' or 'hit,' and implies a temporary standstill rather than a permanent failure.

Words with a similar meaning

deadlockstalematestandstill

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

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