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

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

Throughout the leafy Lower Merion district, which serves about 62,000 residents, parents said the status quo isn’t acceptable.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 21, 2026

He also saw it as a means of disrupting the city’s frustratingly outdated status quo — seeking better possibilities for all manner of living.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 18, 2026

Man must be ready to say: Yes, since Cain there has been injustice, but we can only set the misery right if we accept a status quo.

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White

Related Words

• state of affairs
• status