Mexican standoff

American  

noun

Informal: Sometimes Offensive.

1. a stalemate or impasse; a confrontation that neither side can win.

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Sensitive Note

This expression is sometimes perceived as insulting to or by Mexicans. Its origin in the late 19th century may be connected to American perceptions of encounters with Mexican bandits of that era.

Etymology

Origin of Mexican standoff

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

It’s an unprecedented state of diffuse inconclusiveness, a Mexican standoff of guns that cannot be loaded, and a battle between empty boats floating past each other in an endless, aimlessly circulating gray sea.

From Slate • Dec. 9, 2022

The movie’s admirers have been in a kind of Mexican standoff with this objection ever since it has been aired on social media, although I accept the good faith in which McDonagh created this character.

From The Guardian • Mar. 5, 2018

It was a highly enjoyable experience, one that felt unashamedly cult-ish and satisfying—collective cheers and audible gasps were shared during the incredible Mexican standoff that ended the episode.

From Slate • Nov. 20, 2013

So when I look back over the long stretch of the intervening decades, I now see those two movies as representing dueling meta-narratives in a postfeminist Mexican standoff.

From New York Times • Apr. 24, 2011

If that is to be avoided, something other than a Mexican standoff at the Mexican border will be necessary.

From Time Magazine Archive