plural dead ends
1
: a street that ends instead of joining with another street so that there is only one way in and out of it
We came to a dead end and had to turn around.
2
: a situation, plan, or way of doing something that leads to nothing further
My career has hit a dead end.
political dead ends
Cite this Entry
“Dead end.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/dead%20end. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
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