The police officer pointed his pistol at the criminal, who, in turn, held his pistol directly pointed at the officer. Neither had the advantage, the position was a stalemate.
Source: tatoeba (238142)
Stalemate
/ˈsteɪlmeɪt/
Synonyms for "stalemate" (116 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (24)
Strong matches (34)
Related words (58)
Noun(19 words)
intractabilityloggerheadslogjamnonmoving statenonplusesoffline stagnationpolicy impasseprocess stagnationquagmiresscore drawstallstandoffsstandstillstandstill trafficstucknessstymiestymieingtietying
Adjective(6 words)
lasting disagreementmajor disagreementmarked immobilitymutual disagreementpolitical disunitypolitical gridlock
Determiner(2 words)
no motion changeno progress
Verb(1 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: deadlock, impasse, arrest, bell, blind alley.
- Sentence evidence is available for stalemate, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "stalemate".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "stalemate"
Keep "stalemate" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "stalemate" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "stalemate", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "stalemate" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
13 entriesMore specific
8 entriesCollocations
7 entrieschess stalematediplomatic stalemateeconomic stalematemilitary stalemateparliamentary stalematepolitical stalemateprolonged stalemate
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
3 entriesSample sentences
14 total sentences available.
We've reached a stalemate in our relationship.
Source: tatoeba (1915799)
If by a "Liberal" they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people-their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights and their civil liberties-someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a "Liberal", then I'm proud to say I'm a "Liberal".
Source: tatoeba (5803489)
The investigation was pretty much at a stalemate.
Source: tatoeba (9682587)
Showing 4 of 14 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "stalemate"?
Closest matches include deadlock, impasse, arrest, bell, blind alley.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "stalemate"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.