Meaning & use
stalemate
A situation in which neither side in a dispute or contest can make progress, resulting in a deadlock.
See it in a sentence
Contract negotiations reached a stalemate after both sides refused to compromise.
The chess match ended in a stalemate when neither player could force a win.
A note on using this word
Stalemate implies that neither side can win or make progress, unlike a temporary pause that could still be resolved.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
breakthrough
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