dead-end

1 of 3

adjective

ˈded-ˌend 

1

a

: lacking opportunities especially for advancement

a dead-end job

b

: lacking an exit

a dead-end street

2

: unruly

dead-end kids

dead-endedness

ˌded-ˈen-dəd-nəs 

noun

dead-end

2 of 3

verb

ˈded-ˈend 

dead-ended; dead-ending; dead-ends

intransitive verb

: to come to a dead end : terminate

the road dead-ends at the lake

the investigation dead-ended

dead end

3 of 3

noun

ˈded-ˈend 

1

: an end (as of a street) without an exit

2

: a position, situation, or course of action that leads to nothing further

Synonyms of dead-end

Verb

• end
• stop
• halt
• conclude
• expire
• cease

Examples of dead-end in a Sentence

Verb

after several fruitless years, the research seems to have simply dead-ended

Noun

We came to a dead end and had to turn around.

My career has hit a dead end.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

That might be the craftiest twist of Dylan’s design: his song forces us into the paranoia of conspiracy theorists, running down clues, Easter eggs, synchronicities, accidents, and suspicions, a dead-end Pynchonesque quandary. —Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Steal Zara (Sophie Turner) is having a run-of-the-mill bad day, hungover from yet another night out and tasked with showing the new intern around at her dead-end job at London’s (fictional) Lochmill Capital, a pension investment company. —Barry Levitt, Time, 21 Jan. 2026

Verb

Martin and Aristil drove her to a dead-end street, where Martin allegedly shot and killed Register. —Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 7 Feb. 2026

The pursuit ended when they were boxed in at a dead-end, the police said. —Bay Area News Group, Mercury News, 6 Feb. 2026

Noun

For Joseph, a couple of these jobs look like dead ends anyway. —Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 1 Feb. 2026

With no lungs, the highway hits a dead end. —Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 29 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1868, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Verb

1940, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1886, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for dead-end

• amend
• append
• ascend
• attend
• backend
• befriend
• boyfriend
• commend
• compend
• contend
• defend
• depend

Kids Definition

dead-end

1 of 2 adjective

ˌded-ˌend

1

a

: having no opportunities for advancement

a dead-end job

b

: lacking an exit

dead-end street

2

: unruly

dead-end kids

dead end

2 of 2 noun

: an end (as of a street) without an exit