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”

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

status quo

“The idea that the new, the 17th chairman of the Federal Reserve is going to act like the 13th, 14th, or 15th, there’s no status quo ante to return to,” said Warsh.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026

With decades-long careers in public office, both Jackson and Collins are striking a balance between defending their records and acknowledging that voters think the status quo is broken.

From Salon ● Oct. 12, 2026

Beijing has helped too, said Lankov, noting China's preference to keep the status quo of the Kim dynasty by opposing potential instability from defectors or their supporters.

From Barron's ● Sep. 28, 2026

But the status quo may make the above Armageddon scenario more probable.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026

But slowly, things returned to status quo: Lindsey had a boyfriend, and Colin had a broken heart and a Theorem to finish.

From "An Abundance of Katherines" by John Green

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Related Words

• state of affairs
• status

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