a situation in which no progress can be made or no advancement is possible
同义词:deadlock, dead end, impasse, standstill
drawing position in chess: any of a player's possible moves would place his king in check
动词 stalemate:
subject to a stalemate
stalemate例句
Any solution [to Soviet economic malaise], however, is hostage to the crisis of authority, creating a catch-22 stalemate between perestroika and glasnost, between economics and politics: any measure to shore up the economy only fans public anger and reduces the authority of the Government.