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Synonyms

status quo

American  
[kwoh] / kwoʊ /

noun

  1. the existing state or condition.

status quo British  
/ kwəʊ /

noun

  1. the existing state of affairs

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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.”

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.

Etymology

Origin of status quo

First recorded in 1825–35, status quo is from Latin status quō literally, “state in which”

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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

He is contracted with Northern Ireland until 2028, and when asked about his future beyond the summer, he said he will "revert back to the status quo".

From BBC • Mar. 26, 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

Without an agreement, that opened a period of status quo, where the previous CBA remained in place but either side could engage in a work stoppage.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2026

For a moment I consider going back to my spot, lying down, and trying to get along with the status quo.

From "Dread Nation" by Justina Ireland

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.