military stalemate

Neither side advances

A military stalemate is a situation in which opposing forces are unable to gain decisive advantage over each other, resulting in prolonged deadlock.

Neither side can advance without unacceptable losses, yet neither will retreat or surrender: The war devolved into a military stalemate along the border.

The term often implies costly, static warfare with no clear path to victory.

Related

no-man's-land · Siege of Leningrad · trench warfare · dug in · battle lines · balance of power · defensive strategy · armistices · peace talks · fortified positions · counteroffensive · equilibrium · tactical withdrawal · deterrence · mutual assured destruction · siege tactics · demilitarized zones · humanitarian crises

Opposites
decisiveness of outcome

military stalematedecisive victory

Overwhelming win, clear outcome

total victory · crushing defeat · unconditional surrender · conquest · capitulation

movement and momentum

military stalematebreakthrough

Sudden important advance

blitzkrieg · rout · offensive · flanking maneuver · encirclement

conflict status

military stalematepeace treaty

Formal end to hostilities

armistice · ceasefire · truce · war's end · surrender

Family

military, stalemate, militia, militant, militancy, militarism, militarist, militaristic, militarize

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Top 200,000
Profile
Used worldwide · Timeless · Negative · Everyday, not technical · Rated PG