logjam

noun

log·​jam ˈlȯg-ˌjam How to pronounce logjam (audio)
ˈläg-
1
: a jumble of logs jammed together in a watercourse
2
a
: deadlock, impasse
trying to break the logjam in negotiations
b
c
: jam, crowd
logjam transitive verb

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
There is also the big second-base logjam with Thomas Saggese already squeezed out by Brendan Donovan and Nolan Gorman, with JJ Wetherholt right on his heels, torching his way through Double A. Is this just a result of the reset (retool? Katie Woo, New York Times, 20 June 2025 And the ever-present potential of an injury means that the logjam could clear itself in the near future. Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 June 2025 That was where the problem stood for 50 years — until Williams finally broke the logjam. Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 21 May 2025 Driving the news: Last week, Witkoff hosted Dmitriev in Washington in an effort to break the logjam. Barak Ravid, Axios, 11 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for logjam

Word History

First Known Use

1885, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of logjam was in 1885

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Logjam.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/logjam. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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