1
: a situation in which streets are so full that vehicles cannot move
An accident caused gridlock at rush hour yesterday.
We were caught in a gridlock.
2
: a situation in which no progress can be made
Disagreements about funding have caused legislative gridlock in Congress.
a legislative gridlock
Cite this Entry
“Gridlock.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/gridlock. Accessed 22 Jul. 2026.
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