A deadlock or stalemate in which no progress can be made because both sides are unwilling to compromise or give in.
From French impasse, from im- (not) plus passe (passage). Literally means 'no passage.' It combines Latin im- (in-) with the idea of a blocked passageway.
Impasse literally translates to 'no way through'—it comes from the image of being stuck in a dead-end street with no exit! Diplomats use it constantly because it perfectly captures that frustrated feeling of talks going nowhere.
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