The phrase "sweetening the pot" refers to adding something extra or increasing the rewards in order to make an offer more enticing. Its antonyms would therefore be "stalemate," "impasse," "deadlock," "standoff," "stagnation," and "status quo." These terms imply a lack of progress or the inability to reach an agreement, often due to an unwillingness to compromise or negotiate. They characterize a situation where one party is unwilling to move or make concessions, thus making the idea of sweetening the pot futile. However, it's worth remembering that sometimes, a stalemate or impasse can be broken with creative thinking and an open-minded approach.