Synonyms of deadlock

deadlock

noun

ˈded-ˌläk 

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• halt
• impasse
• stalemate
• gridlock
• standstill
• standoff
• jam
• logjam
• predicament
• dilemma
• Mexican standoff
• problem
• bottleneck
• bind
• pickle
• quandary
• plight
• hole
• dead end
• quagmire
• corner
• morass
• fix
• difficulty
• pinch
• spot

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of deadlock

With hard work and a strong ground game on the city’s west side, Hawkins-Williams dislodged 10-year District 4 incumbent Beverly Perkins and broke a 3-3 commission deadlock that has caused tension and political paralysis. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 5 Nov. 2026

In light of the deadlock, a judge declared a mistrial, and prosecutors vowed to retry the case. — City News Service, Daily News, 2 Nov. 2026

Israel’s 2026 parliamentary elections are set to amount to political deadlock, with neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor Gadi Eisenkot getting enough votes to form a government. — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 28 Oct. 2026

This is the deadlock that many Israelis feared going into the election. — Ruth Margalit, New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2026