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 status quo results in donors either reducing the size of their gifts or sticking to stocks and cash.

From The Wall Street Journal

“In the world that changes as much as it does, in some form or another trying to preserve the status quo is a mistake,” he said in the February earnings call.

From Los Angeles Times

The most likely threat to this status quo comes from Saudi Arabia.

From BBC

Instead, Mr. Mahan thinks the state should focus “on waste, fraud and abuse. I don’t get politicians who defend the status quo and pretend that government couldn’t possibly be more efficient, more effective, more technology-enabled.”

From The Wall Street Journal

The tyranny of the status quo isn’t ending.

From MarketWatch

Related Words

• state of affairs
• status