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

For once, I’d bet against the status quo for monetary policy.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 19, 2026

By offering online ordering, no-haggle pricing and interstate delivery for new vehicles, Carvana has disrupted the status quo, drawing curiosity and anxiety from old-school dealers fearing for their business model.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 17, 2026

The Greyhound Bus Line is sufficiently menacing to make me accept my status quo.

From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole

Related Words

• state of affairs
• status