status quo

American  

[kwoh] / kwoʊ /

noun

1. the existing state or condition.

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status quo British  

/ kwəʊ /

noun

1. the existing state of affairs

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status quo Cultural  

1. The existing order of things; present customs, practices, and power relations: “People with money are often content with the status quo.” From Latin, meaning “the state in which.”

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status quo Idioms  

1. The existing condition or state of affairs, as in We don't want to admit more singers to the chorus; we like the status quo. This term, Latin for “state in which,” has been used in English since the early 1800s.

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Etymology

Origin of status quo

First recorded in 1825–35, status quo is from Latin status quō literally, “state in which”

Example Sentences

The stay preserved the status quo while litigation played out, averting the hefty costs and damage that would otherwise have come to pass.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

Regardless of how quickly, or slowly, if ever, the Iran war is brought to a conclusion, there will be no return to the status quo ante in the Strait of Hormuz.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 21, 2026

“The Geffen Galleries didn’t come to fruition overnight. And frankly, nothing that changes the status quo ever does,” Mitchell said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026

There are signs that this status quo is changing and that investors are waking up to the opportunities offered by European equities.

From Barron's • Apr. 16, 2026

I haven’t thought about Garvey and Papa’s lengthy history of shaking the status quo in years.

From "X: A Novel" by Ilyasah Shabazz

Related Words

• state of affairs
• status