impasse -
A situation where no progress is possible due to disagreement or a deadlock.
The peace talks reached an impasse when neither side was willing to compromise.
noun
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laggard -
A person who makes slow progress and falls behind others
Once the runners ahead of him were specks in the distance, Terry knew he was the laggard of the race.
adjective
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stagnant -
Showing no activity; dull and sluggish
In the last few decades, the income of the richest 10% has increased while that of the bottom 90% has remained stagnant.
noun
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backlog -
A quantity of work that should have been done already, but has not yet been done
When Bill got back from his vacation, there was such a backlog of work to catch up with, that he had to work until 10pm every night for a week.
noun
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sloth -
Reluctance to work or make an effort; laziness
Reed spent the whole day living in sloth, never even leaving the couch.
verb
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defuse -
To reduce the tension or danger in a difficult situation.
The mediator worked hard to defuse the conflict and tension between the two sides that were trying to negotiate an agreement.
verb
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dawdle -
To delay by taking more time than necessary
"Johnny!" his mother shouted, "we have to catch the train in 30 minutes, so would you please finish getting dressed and stop dawdling."
verb
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shirk -
To avoid or neglect a duty or responsibility.
Employees who shirk their duties result in unhappy customers and lower profits.
noun
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hurdle -
a problem that you must solve or deal with before you can make progress.
To take an idea and turn it into a successful and profitable product invovles countless hurdles that must be overcome.
verb
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balk -
To hesitate or be unwilling to continue with an idea or action.
Max had made all the plans to move from his apartment to the senior citizens home, but at the last minute, he balked and just couldn’t go through with it.
noun
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limbo -
An uncertain period of awaiting a decision or resolution; an intermediate state or condition
Because Ian had so much trouble making decisions, he often felt stuck in limbo, unsure of which direction his decisions would be taking him.
adjective
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interminable -
Endless (often used hyperbolically)
Victor dreaded going to the DMV, knowing he would spend an interminable amount of time there.
