standstill

/ˌstæn(d)ˈstɪl/

/ˈstændstɪl/

Other forms: standstills

When anything comes to a standstill, it stops moving, either literally coming to a motionless stop, or ceasing to make any progress.

If you and your brother try to agree on what kind of pizza to order, but your negotiations come to a standstill, it means that neither one of you will budge or compromise, and you've reached a dead end. During rush hour on a busy highway, traffic often comes to a standstill — it simply stops. This "cessation of movement" meaning came first.

Definitions of standstill

1. noun

   a situation in which no progress can be made or no advancement is possible
   synonyms: dead end, deadlock, impasse, stalemate

   type of:

   situation

   a complex or critical or unusual difficulty
2. noun

   an interruption of normal activity
   synonyms: stand, tie-up

   type of:

   halt, kibosh, stop

   the event of something ending