logjam

noun

log·​jam ˈlȯg-ˌjam 

ˈläg-

1

: a jumble of logs jammed together in a watercourse

2

a

: deadlock, impasse

trying to break the logjam in negotiations

b

: blockage

c

: jam, crowd

logjam transitive verb

Synonyms

• backup
• bottleneck
• jam
• jam-up
• snarl
• tailback [British]
• tie-up

Examples of logjam in a Sentence

He was called in to try to break the logjam in the negotiations.

the presence of an ambulance on the side of the highway created a logjam of rubberneckers who just had to have a look

Recent Examples on the Web

The immense logjam of cases has mainly resulted from the funnel-like design of the system. —Julia Preston, Foreign Affairs, 20 June 2023

Over the past decade the ice there has fragmented into a logjam of long shards held together only by pressure and friction. —Douglas Fox, Scientific American, 1 Nov. 2022

Inflation has fallen, as energy prices have come down and as supply logjams have eased. —Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune Europe, 31 May 2024

Rocklin city officials repeatedly raised concerns about a potential traffic logjam along Sierra College Boulevard, a major thoroughfare. —Ishani Desai, Sacramento Bee, 23 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1885, in the meaning defined at sense 1