stasis
Americannoun
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the state of equilibrium or inactivity caused by opposing equal forces.
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Pathology. stagnation in the flow of any of the fluids of the body, as of the blood in an inflamed area or the intestinal contents proximal to an obstruction.
noun
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pathol a stagnation in the normal flow of bodily fluids, such as the blood or urine
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literature a state or condition in which there is no action or progress; static situation
dramatic stasis
Etymology
Origin of stasis
1735–45; < Greek stásis state of standing, equivalent to sta- (stem of histánai to make stand; see stand) + -sis -sis
Explanation
When nothing's happening, that's stasis. A town government might be stuck in a period of stasis, unable to come to a decision about a controversial issue. Sometimes opposing forces are equal in power, and since neither is stronger than the other, the result is a state where neither can gain any headway. This state is called stasis, and it is basically a stoppage of movement. In medicine, stasis describes the stopping of any bodily fluids from flowing, usually by an obstruction. The same idea is seen in literary stasis, where there is no forward movement in a story.
Vocabulary lists containing stasis
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
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The Last Cuentista
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The Hidden Oracle
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Research shows that vitality is improved by challenging avoidance, stasis and soothing habits—and instead leaning into uncertainty and discomfort.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026
By the Reagan era, the stasis was obvious; in the first two decades of the 21st century, it began to putrefy.
From Salon • Apr. 19, 2026
Employers hired at a middling pace in December, closing out a year that saw the U.S. labor market cool into a “low hire, low fire” stasis.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 9, 2026
So the stasis, i.e., inactive equilibrium, will remain.
From Barron's • Jan. 1, 2026
As my fingertips hit the stasis gel, they tingle and burn before going numb.
From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
