stalled

Stalled is the past participle of stall and is used as both an adjective and a verb. As an adjective, it describes something that has ceased to progress or become stuck, often after an initial phase of development. In everyday use, a project, negotiation, or process can be described as stalled when progress halts and momentum is lost.

In mechanical contexts, stall refers to a condition where a machine stops working or an engine loses speed or power. An internal-combustion engine stalls when the engine cannot maintain idle speed or fails to start due to insufficient air, fuel, or torque. In aviation and propulsion, aerodynamic stall describes a loss of lift when the angle of attack exceeds a critical value, leading to the wing’s loss of smooth airflow and a rapid descent if not corrected. Recovery typically involves lowering the angle of attack and restoring adequate airspeed. In electric machinery, a stepper motor or geared motor may stall when the load exceeds the motor’s torque, causing it to remain stationary despite input.

In business and planning contexts, a project or initiative can stall due to funding gaps, resource constraints, regulatory barriers, or shifting priorities. Negotiations may stall if parties fail to reach agreement or lose incentive to compromise. The verb form “to stall” conveys deliberate or inadvertent postponement.