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

He said he had also reaffirmed "Israel's unwavering commitment to freedom of religion for all faiths and to upholding the status quo at the holy sites of Jerusalem".

From BBC • Mar. 29, 2026

But more than six months after the announcement, the status quo remains undisturbed as the DNC’s Middle East Working Group proceeds at a snail’s pace.

From Salon • Mar. 27, 2026

"I don't think the status quo is an option," Okonjo-Iweala recently said, insisting the Yaounde meeting should mark "a turning point".

From Barron's • Mar. 20, 2026

More than half want to maintain the status quo as a self-ruled democracy or move toward a declaration of independence, according to the survey by the Election Study Center of National Chengchi University.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026

Playing sports had become such an integral part of our family culture, and I saw no reason to move away from the status quo.

From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad

Related Words

• state of affairs
• status