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

See Examples For:

status quo

“The status quo is untenable in the short term, and in the long term catastrophic, potentially,” Newsom said in a press conference last week.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026

The group says current "status quo" security measures "won't be enough" and criticises the "historic under-resourcing" of security around critical infrastructure.

From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026

Office worker Vilborg Inga Magnusdottir said she saw no reason to change the status quo.

From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026

A veteran lawmaker who served 12 years in Congress, Bass has attempted to torpedo Raman’s image as a foe of the status quo, pointing out she’s been on the council for nearly six years.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 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

Related Words

• state of affairs
• status