stalemate
Neither side advances
Stalemate is a position in chess where the player to move has no legal moves but is not in check—the game ends in a draw.
By extension, stalemate describes any deadlock or impasse where neither side can advance: Contract negotiations reached a stalemate.
The verb means to bring to such a standstill: The opposing factions stalemated each other.
Situation without resolution
- deadlockMutual blocking, no progress
- breakdownFailure or decomposition
- walkoutProtest by leaving
- standoffUnresolved confrontation between opponents
gridlock · compromise · concession · mediation · arbitration · diplomacy · treaty · talks
Unresolved confrontation between opponents
- Mexican standoffMultiparty armed deadlock
- showdownDecisive final confrontation
- face-offDirect clash between opponents
- confrontationDirect hostile encounter
ceasefire · truce · détente · cold war · arms race · brinkmanship · war of attrition · siege
Mutual blocking, no progress
- standstillTotal cessation of movement
- impasseSituation without resolution
- logjamObstruction halting flow
- bottleneckConstriction limiting throughput
quagmire · paralysis · stagnation · inertia · inaction · morass · gridlock · halt
Concluding phase of competition
- drawCreate with pencil
- zugzwangObligatory weakening move situation
- kingMale crowned ruler
- queenMost powerful chess piece
rook · bishop · knight · pawn · chessboard · castling · middlegame · opening
Complete mutual obstruction
- filibusterDelaying tactic through speech
- vetoOfficial refusal to approve
- bipartisanInvolving both major parties
- partisanBiased toward one side
legislature · Congress · parliament · coalition · obstruction · shutdown · budget · bill
impasse
Situation without resolution
standoff · gridlock · compromise · concession · mediation · arbitration · diplomacy · treaty · talks · summit
standoff
Unresolved confrontation between opponents
- Mexican standoffMultiparty armed deadlock
- showdownDecisive final confrontation
- face-offDirect clash between opponents
confrontation · ceasefire · truce · détente · cold war · arms race · brinkmanship · war of attrition · siege · entrenched
deadlock
Mutual blocking, no progress
- standstillTotal cessation of movement
- impasseSituation without resolution
- logjamObstruction halting flow
bottleneck · quagmire · paralysis · stagnation · inertia · inaction · morass · gridlock · halt · freeze
endgame
Concluding phase of competition
queen · rook · bishop · knight · pawn · chessboard · castling · middlegame · opening · gambit
gridlock
Complete mutual obstruction
- filibusterDelaying tactic through speech
- vetoOfficial refusal to approve
- bipartisanInvolving both major parties
partisan · legislature · Congress · parliament · coalition · obstruction · shutdown · budget · bill · amendment
- Standoffsdeadlock, standoff, impasse, gridlock, standstill
- tiestie, necktie, bow tie, bow ties, bowtie
- futilityfutile, futility, in vain, pointlessness, vain
- obstructionobstruction, delay, roadblock, blockade, barricade
- trench warfaretrenches, no man's land, barbed wire, dugouts, front lines
- chess problemsmate in two, helpmate, study, solution, key move
stalemateprogress
Movement toward improvement
breakthrough · advance · headway · momentum · forward motion
stalemateresolution
Formal decision or determination
decisive victory · breakthrough · settlement · conclusion · agreement
- military stalemateProlonged combat impasse