Word
stasis
Phoneticssta·sis
UK/stˈeɪsɪs/
Uncountable noun
Definition
n. a state where nothing changes or moves. It is often used to describe a situation that is stuck and needs to be fixed.
n. a state of inactivity or equilibrium in which no significant change occurs. Often used in scientific contexts to describe the preservation of organisms in a fossilized state or in social contexts to describe a lack of progress.
Examples
“The company is in a state of stasis and needs new ideas.”
“The committee's decision to delay the vote kept the project in a state of legal stasis for over a year.”
“The discovery of the fossilized remains suggested that the creature had been trapped in a state of perfect stasis for millions of years, preserving its cellular structure against the decay of time.”
Examples
simple
“The company is in a state of stasis and needs new ideas.”
contextual
“The committee's decision to delay the vote kept the project in a state of legal stasis for over a year.”
complex
“The discovery of the fossilized remains suggested that the creature had been trapped in a state of perfect stasis for millions of years, preserving its cellular structure against the decay of time.”
Real-World Examples
“As is often the case, the far right promises something better, while traditional parties of government offer stasis.” “Together, low oxygen and 1-MCP can keep apples in stasis for more than six months.” “At a time when everyone is encouraged to be entrepreneurial and changeable, she is an image of stasis and constancy.” “I am increasingly catching myself in the act of wishing away months of my life, of wanting the time between now and whenever this stasis ends to pass as quickly as possible.” Etymology
From New Latin stasis, from Ancient Greek στάσις (stásis). See the doublet stead.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/stasis