Use “sticking point” for a specific unresolved issue that blocks agreement or progress in a discussion or negotiation. The guide stays with current documented meaning and does not assert unsupported origin chronology.
ReviewedEvidence1 sourceSectionPhrases & Idioms
Quick answer
Use “sticking point” for a specific unresolved issue that blocks agreement or progress in a discussion or negotiation.
Key details
Canonical Formsticking point
Core Meaningan issue or point in a discussion that prevents agreement
Further guidance
Contextual Examples
“Price remained the main sticking point in the negotiations.”
“Once the data-sharing clause was resolved, the sticking point disappeared.”
History Boundary
Current dictionary-supported meaning is published without claiming an exact inventor, coinage date, or absolute first use.
Meaning
an issue or point in a discussion that prevents agreement
Meaning Boundary
A general difficulty is not necessarily a sticking point; the phrase is most useful when one issue is specifically blocking movement.
Practical Use
Use “sticking point” for the particular unresolved issue that is preventing agreement or further progress.
Tone Boundary
It is common in negotiations and discussions. In highly formal writing, “unresolved issue” or “barrier to agreement” can be more explicit.
Usage Boundary
Use “sticking point” for a specific unresolved issue that blocks agreement or progress in a discussion or negotiation.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
“Case in Point” identifies an example that demonstrates or helps explain the point being made. This guide stays with the supported present-day meaning and usage boundary and does not infer an unsupported first-use date, inventor, or origin story.
“Moot Point” means a question or problem that is discussed or argued about but has no fixed or certain answer. Do not automatically use it to mean “irrelevant.” The word “moot” also has an irrelevant/not-worth-discussing sense in some contexts, so context determines which nuance is intended.
Use “pain point” for a problem or difficulty experienced by a person or customer, especially when discussing a problem a product or service is intended to address. The guide stays with current documented meaning and does not assert unsupported origin chronology.
Use “point of contention” for a specific issue that people disagree about; it names the disputed point rather than merely a general obstacle. The guide stays with current documented meaning and does not assert unsupported origin chronology.
“A dime a dozen” is a chiefly US idiom for something very common, easy to find, and not especially distinctive. The wording can carry a dismissive tone when it suggests that something is readily replaceable.
“A drop in the bucket” describes an amount that is very small compared with what is needed or compared with a much larger whole. Cambridge labels it as the US form and gives “a drop in the ocean” as the UK counterpart.
“A leopard can’t change its spots” is a saying about the persistence of character, especially negative traits. Cambridge also records the “doesn’t change its spots” form. This guide limits the page to present-day form and meaning rather than asserting an unsupported exact origin date.
