The embattled British Prime Minister met the German leader in Berlin as she embarked on a desperate mission to win concessions from European leaders in an effort to sell the deal to the UK Parliament.
German lawmakers briefed by Merkel after the meeting said that while there may be room for maneuver on the non-binding political declaration that accompanies the Brexit deal, there was no question of reopening the legal text itself.
"There is absolutely no room for renegotiation of the withdrawal agreement between the EU and the United Kingdom currently on the table," said Detlef Seif, the deputy spokesman on European policy for Merkel's CDU/CSU parliamentary group.
May hopes to obtain "reassurances" from Europe over arrangements relating to the Irish border, the main sticking point for British MPs. She was forced to postponed a parliamentary vote on the deal on Monday when it became clear she would suffer a humiliating loss that could have finished her premiership.
Speaking after her meeting with Merkel, May appeared to acknowledge there was no chance of reopening negotiations on the Irish backstop, the part of the deal designed to avoid the return of border infrastructure between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
"The backstop is a necessary guarantee for the people of Northern Ireland," May said, adding that whatever relationship the UK wants with Europe "there will be a backstop in it."
May said she wanted to seek assurances from European leaders that the backstop would be a last resort, and if it were to be invoked, it would be temporary.
Earlier, May met with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte at The Hague before flying to Berlin to meet with Merkel and then again to Brussels to see European Council President Donald Tusk.
May is expected to speak with Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and European Commission President, Jean-Claude Juncker later on Tuesday. She will also visit Irish Premier Leo Varadkar in Dublin on Wednesday.
Juncker said earlier Tuesday that "there is no room whatsover for renegotiation" on the Withdrawal Agreement reached between the UK and EU. He added that "the best deal we have achieved is the best deal and the only deal possible."
As she flitted around Europe, rumors swirled at Westminster that members of May's Conservative Party were close to triggering a vote of no-confidence in her leadership. May refused to address the issue when asked about it by a reporter, saying she was focused on delivering her deal.
A no-deal outcome -- where the UK leaves the EU without transitional arrangements in place -- could be disastrous for both the British economy and general life in the UK, with businesses warning it could lead to food shortages, grounded flights and a prolonged economic slump.
The British pound plunged 1.6% against the US dollar, its lowest level in two years, amid fears of a potential no-deal Brexit.
While the EU and the UK could agree to postpone Brexit taking place in the event of a no deal come March 29, the prospect of such a situation has led to calls for a second referendum.
Those calls were buoyed by a decision Monday by the European Court of Justice that the UK could unilaterally revoke Article 50 -- its notification that it plans to leave the EU -- should it so wish.
"The Government's firm and long-held policy is that we will not revoke the Article 50 notice. This position has not changed," Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay told MPs after the ECJ ruling.
"To do this, or indeed to hold a second referendum, would be to undermine the result of the 2016 referendum and the professed will of this House to give effect to that result."
The Labour Party has indicated it will campaign for a second referendum if May's bill fails and a general election is not called by her or Parliament.
Corbyn savaged May's government in Parliament Monday, saying it had "lost control of events and is in complete disarray."
"It's been evident for weeks that the Prime Minister's deal did not have confidence of this House yet she plowed on regardless, reiterating 'this is the only deal available'," Corbyn said.
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