impasse
No way forward
An impasse is a situation where no progress can be made—a deadlock or stalemate.
Negotiations reach an impasse when neither side will budge.
A road that dead-ends is also an impasse, though this literal sense is rare in English.
The talks reached an impasse over wages.
We're at an impasse.
Unresolved confrontation between opponents
- gridlockComplete mutual obstruction
- standstillTotal cessation of movement
- logjamObstruction halting flow
- deadlockMutual blocking, no progress
bottleneck · paralysis · halt · stoppage · blockage · obstruction · quagmire · mire
Passage without outlet
- blind alleyPassage without outlet
- cul-de-sacStreet closed at end
- no through roadStreet without exit
- terminusFinal destination point
Intense weary annoyance
- hopelessnessState without hope
- helplessnessLacking ability to cope
- discouragementLoss of confidence
- futilityLack of purpose
despair · defeatism · stuck · brick wall · dead end · no-win · catch-22 · Gordian knot
Failure or decomposition
- talksSpeaks with others
- diplomacyNegotiation between nations
- mediationIntervention to resolve conflict
- arbitrationNon-court binding dispute resolution
dialogue · compromise · conciliation · sticking point · walkout · ultimatum · summit · bargaining
standoff
Unresolved confrontation between opponents
- gridlockComplete mutual obstruction
- standstillTotal cessation of movement
- logjamObstruction halting flow
deadlock · bottleneck · paralysis · halt · stoppage · blockage · obstruction · quagmire · mire · morass
dead end
Passage without outlet
- blind alleyPassage without outlet
- cul-de-sacStreet closed at end
- no through roadStreet without exit
exasperation
Intense weary annoyance
- hopelessnessState without hope
- helplessnessLacking ability to cope
- discouragementLoss of confidence
futility · despair · defeatism · stuck · brick wall · dead end · no-win · catch-22 · Gordian knot · standoff
breakdown
Failure or decomposition
- talksSpeaks with others
- diplomacyNegotiation between nations
- mediationIntervention to resolve conflict
arbitration · dialogue · compromise · conciliation · sticking point · walkout · ultimatum · summit · bargaining · deadlocked
- futilityfutile, futility, in vain, pointlessness, vain
- jury trialjury deliberation, jury selection, juror selection, voir dire, jury pool
- negotiationbargaining, bargain, negotiate, mediation, compromise
- blockagesblockage, dam, clog, congestion, drain clog
- Dealmakingdeal, negotiator, bargaining, offer, counteroffer
- delaysdelays, delay, delayed, postponement, postpone
impassebreakthrough
Sudden important advance
solution · resolution · progress · headway · advance
impasseagreement
Shared position between parties
accord · deal · settlement · consensus · compromise
- impassioned speechIntense verbal delivery
- at an impasse
impassive, impassioned, impassable, impassivity, impassively, impassible, impassion, impassions, impasses