stale·mate
ˈstāl-ˌmāt 
1
: a drawing position in chess in which a player is not in checkmate but has no legal move to play
2
: a contest, competition, dispute, etc., in which neither side can gain an advantage or win : deadlock
The new agreement might break the stalemate.
stalemated; stalemating; stalemates
: to bring into a stalemate
Examples of stalemate in a Sentence
Noun
The budget debate ended in a stalemate.
The new agreement could break the stalemate.
The budget debate ended in stalemate.
Recent Examples on the Web
Daniel Ross Goodman, The Washington Examiner, 9 Jan. 2026
However, this was a stalemate that felt much more valuable — the kind of result and performance that should fuel belief for the challenges to come.
—James Pearce, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2026
Adis Maksić, The Conversation, 19 Nov. 2025
Even if the shutdown comes to an end soon, most of the government will only have funding secured through January, which could lead to further stalemate in the not too distant future.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 10 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stalemate
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Noun
Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 prompted unified Western sanctions, massive military aid, and rhetorical solidarity, but by late 2025, strategic divergences had widened amid battlefield stalemates, economic fatigue, and diplomatic initiatives.
—Verb
With the high representative largely passive, Bosnia was stalemated between incompatible horizons, each side strong enough to block but too weak to prevail.
—Cite this Entry
“Stalemate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stalemate. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
Kids Definition
stalemate
1 of 2 noun
stale·mate
ˈstā(ə)l-ˌmāt
1
: a position in chess that results in a draw when the only piece to be moved is the king which cannot be moved without being exposed to attack by the other player's piece
2
: a drawn or undecided contest : deadlock
the two sides reached a stalemate in their negotiations
stalemate
2 of 2 verb
stalemated; stalemating
: to bring into a stalemate
the talks were stalemated over the issue of payment
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