stalemate — a situation in which further action or progress by opposing or competing parties seems impossible
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: a situation in which further action or progress by opposing or competing parties seems impossible
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈsteɪlmeɪt/
Example Sentences
- The divorce negotiations were in complete stalemate until someone mentioned splitting the cat custody.
- After hours of debate about pizza toppings, the family meeting reached a stalemate.
- The peace talks have been stalemated for weeks with no sign of progress.
stalemate
NOUN[/ˈsteɪlmeɪt/]
a situation in which further action or progress by opposing or competing parties seems impossible
The chess match ended in a stalemate after four exhausting hours.
Stale mate blocks every chess move - total stalemate!
Every estimate leads to stalemate, never checkmate!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From chess terminology, combining 'stale' (meaning a draw position where a player cannot move) and 'mate' (from Persian 'shah mat' meaning 'the king is dead'). The term later expanded beyond chess to mean any deadlock situation.
Breakdown
stale (chess term for draw/no valid moves) + mate (checkmate, from Persian 'shah mat' meaning 'king is dead')
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The divorce negotiations were in complete stalemate until someone mentioned splitting the cat custody.”
“After hours of debate about pizza toppings, the family meeting reached a stalemate.”
“The peace talks have been stalemated for weeks with no sign of progress.”
“The chess match ended in stalemate, leaving both players equally frustrated.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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