gridlocked

adjective

grid·​locked ˈgrid-ˌläkt 

: affected by gridlock : brought to a state in which movement or progress is stopped completely

gridlocked streets

a gridlocked legislature

The Phoenix of 1996 has terrible air, gridlocked traffic, and spreads out in so many directions that it seems to lack any sense of order.

—Timothy Egan

… the notion of an incompetent, gridlocked government is still embedded in the national consciousness.

—Andrew Sullivan

Examples of gridlocked in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Airport officials hope the hike will reduce gridlocked traffic within LAX’s horseshoe loop and steer people to use the future SkyLink stations instead. —Jason Henry, Daily News, 10 Mar. 2026

The logistical chaos was a fitting background for the week, which was a mix of investment announcements, gridlocked international diplomacy, and people stuck in actual traffic jams. —Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 23 Feb. 2026

So, having two locations of any store can help save time for gridlocked shoppers. —Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2026

Traffic remained gridlocked for more than three hours as emergency services worked at the scene. —Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 27 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1980, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for gridlocked

• overstocked
• balked
• blocked
• chalked
• clocked
• cocked
• docked
• flocked
• hawked
• knocked
• locked
• mocked