sticking point

American  

noun

1. a point, detail, or circumstance causing or likely to cause a stalemate or impasse.

   The bill would have gone through the Senate quickly but for one sticking point.

2. sticking place.

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sticking point British  

noun

1. a problem or point on which agreement cannot be reached, preventing progress from being made

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Etymology

Origin of sticking point

First recorded in 1820–30

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sticking point

Gaining broad access to apps owned by other companies is a sticking point for AI agent devices, said Kiranjeet Kaur, associate research director at US market intelligence firm IDC.

From Barron's ● Jul. 19, 2026

“The sticking point is around having very clear terms about who owns the data, what happens with the data once they collect it,” said Gialamas.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 12, 2026

For Canada, a major sticking point is US tariffs on a number of key sectors, including steel, aluminium and automobiles.

From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026

Both countries agreed to the creation of a mechanism to ensure the termination of military operations in Lebanon early Monday, mediators said, addressing a key sticking point in peace talks between the two sides.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 22, 2026

But there was one major sticking point: They didn't have enough money to buy gas for the car ride home.

From Nazi Saboteurs by Samantha Seiple

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