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

Instruction across the entire state was “unlikely to improve” under the status quo, he said.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 1, 2026

A solution ex machina prevented it from closing, but instead of maintaining the status quo, everybody committed to leveling it up to a Michelin star-worthy bistro.

From Salon • Jun. 28, 2026

Tehran's top negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, had earlier said Hormuz "will never return" to the pre-war status quo, despite both sides agreeing to set up communication lines to keep it open.

From Barron's • Jun. 24, 2026

Put bluntly, the status quo will not hold.

From BBC • Jun. 23, 2026

While she and her family always questioned the status quo, she didn’t think you had to deny the existence of God.

From "Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith" by Deborah Heiligman

Related Words

• state of affairs
• status