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

So the endgame, as it is now, is definitely handing, relative to the status quo ante, the U.S. banks a competitive advantage.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 25, 2026

"People are frustrated and tired of the status quo," she said, adding that "if I wasn't in politics, I wouldn't know who to vote for".

From BBC • Jun. 25, 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