Thesaurus results for DEADLOCK

deadlock

noun

ˈded-ˌläk

Definition of deadlock

as in halt

a point in a struggle where neither side is capable of winning or willing to give in the jury sent a note to the judge that it was hopelessly stuck in a deadlock

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of deadlock Argentina lost the Sunday’s final 1-0 after a Ferran Torres strike in extra time broke the goalless deadlock. — Jessica Hopkins, New York Times, 20 July 2026 Here in Singapore, many watched in the wee hours of the morning as Spain dominated Argentina, before breaking the deadlock in extra time. — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 20 July 2026 With the Thursday deadlock, Sacramento Superior Court Judge Michael Bowman sent jurors home. — Darrell Smith july 16, Sacbee.com, 17 July 2026 She was confirmed by the Senate in 2023 when former Vice President Kamala Harris cast a deciding vote to break a Senate deadlock. — Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for deadlock

Recent Examples of Synonyms for deadlock

Noun

Last week, De Beers — which is owned by Anglo American — announced a two-year production halt at its flagship Venetia mine in South Africa.

— Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 20 July 2026
The escalation over the strait has seen shipping traffic ground to a halt through the waterway, through which a fifth of the world’s oil flowed before the war.

— Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 17 July 2026

Definition of halt

Noun

If the impasse does not end before then, the union will keep the current contract until 2027 — but employees would no longer receive wage increases other than those earned for additional years of service.

— Emily Holshouser, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 July 2026
Only a small number of projects require involvement from the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, Bronin, the former ACHP chair, said, and fewer still end in an impasse.

— Janay Kingsberry, The Atlantic, 19 July 2026

Definition of impasse

Browse Nearby Words

dead heats

deadlock

deadlocked

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Deadlock.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deadlock. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of deadlock

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on deadlock

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

mitigate

Popular in Grammar & Usage

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Popular in Wordplay

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes