1
as in halt
a point in a struggle where neither side is capable of winning or willing to give in
in their bitter custody battle, the divorcing couple are at a total impasse
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in predicament
a difficult, puzzling, or embarrassing situation from which there is no easy escape
the impossible impasse faced by those who opposed the war but did not want to seem disloyal to the troops
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of impasse
Now the Comcast impasse threatens to keep the White Sox off the air on the largest pay-TV provider in the Chicago market, a potentially devastating blow to the fans, the team and the new regional sports network.
—
Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2025
Germany’s political and economic impasse need not result in a future defined by the far right.
—Liana Fix, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2025
Hamas said Egypt and Qatar, which with U.S. support mediated the ceasefire deal that took effect on January 19, had stepped up efforts to break the impasse and the Palestinian militant group's Gaza chief, Khalil Al-Hayya, arrived in Cairo for talks.
—James MacKenzie, USA TODAY, 13 Feb. 2025
Meanwhile, caught between the debt and their tax base, Republicans are considering novel ways to account for the cost of their legislative agenda as a budget cut impasse looks set to hamstring early moves on their tax bill.
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 5 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for impasse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impasse
Noun
-
More than 1,000 clinical trials have come to a halt across the country and world, ranging from cardiovascular disease treatment to HIV prevention, to childhood and adult cancer treatment.—
-
Rather than dwell on this possibility, or call for a halt to further investments until the federal funding picture resolves, supervisors instead took turns bidding Bergmann farewell and welcoming acting director Nadia Privara.—
Noun
-
In fact, Luton are only four points behind Stoke City, yet another top-flight old boy, in 18th place, so there is a path out of this predicament.—
-
The predicament got even worse the following day, when Perez’s RB16 stopped on the formation lap and he was forced to start from the pit-lane.—
Noun
-
The race is nonpartisan, but the incoming supervisor will break the 2-2 deadlock between the two Democrats and the two Republicans on the current Board of Supervisors.—
-
The ongoing deadlock raises the risk of direct conflict between the U.S. and Iran in an already unstable Middle East, where an American aircraft carrier strike group is leading a U.S. military operation against the Houthi militants in Yemen.—
Noun
-
The Role of Blockchain Technology and AI This ethical and creative dilemma could find a promising resolution through blockchain technology.—
-
The ethical dilemma of how a journalist like Goldberg should have responded to the accidental invitation to the chat was another focal point.—
Noun
-
Nottingham Forest has been one of the EPL's best teams this season, so the two playing to a stalemate shouldn't come as a surprise.—
-
As beers are cracked and meatballs are thrown, the game slowly turns into a stalemate that’s irritatingly adept at withstanding external pressure to end prematurely.—
Noun
-
The namesake Bad Boy Burger ($11.99) is two quarter-pound patties, bacon, American cheese, Swiss cheese, chili, lettuce, tomato, pickles, ketchup and mustard.—
-
Step 6: Diversify into the golf course and mango pickle industries.—
Noun
-
This is a good thing, as a percentage of nylon, spandex, or polyester can help with shape retention and prevent holes from developing.—
-
Their current stairs are in poor condition, with layers of plywood covering holes and structural issues.—
Cite this Entry
“Impasse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impasse. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share