as in halt
a point in a struggle where neither side is capable of winning or willing to give in
the jury sent a note to the judge that it was hopelessly stuck in a deadlock
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Recent Examples of deadlock
Batherson had yet another chance to break the deadlock later in the same powerplay, but found the far post with a wide open net in front of him.
—
Miami Herald, 11 Jan. 2026
That lead did not last, as Hagans created another deadlock just 44 seconds before the break, scoring from between the circles to forge a 4-4 tie after two stanzas of play.
—Tris Wykes, Twin Cities, 30 Dec. 2025
Still, expectations persist that there will be something new for the duo to say Sunday, after years of deadlock and over a million dead.
—Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 28 Dec. 2025
Kustov’s carefully argued and data-rich book promises a way out of this deadlock.
—Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deadlock
Miami Herald, 11 Jan. 2026
That lead did not last, as Hagans created another deadlock just 44 seconds before the break, scoring from between the circles to forge a 4-4 tie after two stanzas of play.
—Tris Wykes, Twin Cities, 30 Dec. 2025
Still, expectations persist that there will be something new for the duo to say Sunday, after years of deadlock and over a million dead.
—Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 28 Dec. 2025
Kustov’s carefully argued and data-rich book promises a way out of this deadlock.
—Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deadlock
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deadlock
Noun
-
The project came to a halt after Greenland banned uranium mining in 2021 and it is now mired in litigation.—
Spencer Kimball,
CNBC,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Both companies were hit hard by the pandemic, when cruising ground to a halt.—
Kevin Rozario,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
That impasse ended in late October 2025, when Charles ordered his brother to surrender the lease on Royal Lodge.—
Simon Perry,
PEOPLE,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Status quo continues until there is a new agreement or there’s an impasse in negotiations.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
5 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 prompted unified Western sanctions, massive military aid, and rhetorical solidarity, but by late 2025, strategic divergences had widened amid battlefield stalemates, economic fatigue, and diplomatic initiatives.—
Daniel Ross Goodman,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Amid the stalemate, Paramount and Warner stock held steady.—
Meg James,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deadlock.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deadlock. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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