noun
impasse
AM-pahs
noun
1
A situation where no further progress can be made; a deadlock.
"The talks reached an impasse over funding."
2
A dead-end street.
"The old French quarter has several narrow impasses."
How to Use Impasse
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA standstill — nobody can move forward, in a negotiation, argument, or literally on a road.
Common pairings
reach an impasse
break the impasse
Word Forms
impasses plural
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The talks reached an _____ over funding.
Etymology
Borrowed from French impasse ("dead end"), from im- + passe.