STALEMATE

[noun] - a situation in which neither group involved in an argument can win or get an advantage and no action can be takenThe situation remains a stalemate with neither side prepared to risk the lives of their soldiers in another battle. [C]Tomorrow's meeting between the two leaders is expected to break a diplomatic stalemate that has lasted for ten years. [C]Neither side was willing to compromise and the negotiations ended in stalemate. [U]Despite long discussions, the workers and the management remain locked in stalemate. [U]In chess, stalemate is a position in which one player is unable to move, but their king is not being attacked, which means that neither of the two players wins.Compare checkmate.