impasse
/æm'pɑ:s/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A situation in which no progress can be made or no advancement is possible; a deadlock: A state where opposing parties are unable to agree or move forward, often due to a fundamental disagreement or lack of compromise.
- A street or passage closed at one end; a cul-de-sac: A road with only one inlet and outlet, leading to a dead end.
Examples of Usage
- Noun (Deadlock):
- The negotiations reached an impasse over the issue of funding.
- After hours of debate, the committee was at an impasse, unable to decide on a course of action.
- Noun (Cul-de-sac):
- The taxi driver turned into a quiet impasse. (Note: This usage is less common in everyday modern English, with "cul-de-sac" or "dead end" being more frequent.)
Advanced Usage
- "to be at an impasse": To be in a situation where no progress is possible.
- The peace talks are at an impasse, with both sides refusing to budge.
- "to break/end/resolve an impasse": To find a way to move forward from a deadlocked situation.
- A creative compromise was needed to break the impasse.
- "to reach/come to an impasse": To arrive at a point where progress stops.
- Discussions came to an impasse when neither side would accept the other's terms.
Variants and Related Words
- Deadlock (n): A situation, typically one involving opposing parties, in which no progress can be made. (A very close synonym for the primary meaning of "impasse").
- Stalemate (n): A situation in which further action or progress by opposing parties seems impossible.
- Standoff (n): A deadlock between two equally matched opponents in a dispute or conflict.
- Cul-de-sac (n): A street or passage closed at one end; a dead end. (The direct synonym for the secondary, less common meaning of "impasse").
Synonyms
- Deadlock
- Stalemate
- Standoff
- Gridlock (often used for traffic or complex systems)
- Logjam
Related Phrases
- Political impasse: A deadlock in government or political negotiations.
- The country faced a political impasse that delayed the budget for months.
- Negotiating impasse: A specific deadlock in discussions or bargaining.
- The union and management hit a negotiating impasse over wages.
Idioms and Figurative Use
- "A diplomatic impasse": A deadlock in international relations or diplomacy.
- The summit ended in a diplomatic impasse.
- The word "impasse" itself is often used figuratively to describe any blocked situation, not just physical or negotiation-related ones.
- Her research had hit an impasse; she couldn't find the data she needed.
Noun
- a street with only one way in or out
- a situation in which no progress can be made or no advancement is possible
- reached an impasse on the negotiations