as in halt
a point in a struggle where neither side is capable of winning or willing to give in
with the White House controlled by one party and Congress by the other, the nation experienced four years of legislative gridlock
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in to fill
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gridlock
Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 13 Apr. 2026
But lawmakers have been unable to reach agreements on cannabis regulations in the past, and two top lawmakers recently expressed concern about the council's recommendation, signaling that more gridlock could ensue, the News & Observer reported.
—N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 10 Apr. 2026
Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2025
While the state Assembly derailed that initial plan, forfeiting the grant, the push for a practical remedy to gridlock never died.
—Dj Gribbin, New York Daily News, 7 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gridlock
Noun
The agency has been shut down for nearly two months amid congressional gridlock over funding it.
—Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 13 Apr. 2026
But lawmakers have been unable to reach agreements on cannabis regulations in the past, and two top lawmakers recently expressed concern about the council's recommendation, signaling that more gridlock could ensue, the News & Observer reported.
—N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 10 Apr. 2026
Verb
Waiting until the last minute can lead to gridlock on the road for you and obstruct first responders trying to get to the active fire zone.
—Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2025
While the state Assembly derailed that initial plan, forfeiting the grant, the push for a practical remedy to gridlock never died.
—Dj Gribbin, New York Daily News, 7 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gridlock
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gridlock
Noun
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Yet the president couldn’t resist posting on Truth Social three times about his ballroom plans after a judge ordered a halt to all work above ground.—
Rob Crilly,
The Washington Examiner,
17 Apr. 2026
-
The ceasefire came after Lebanon insisted on a halt to Israel’s monthlong conflict with Hezbollah before further talks, though Lebanese President Joseph Aoun initially refused to speak with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday.—
Kareem Chehayeb,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Govan said 45 curators collaborated on the installation, which fills about 110,000 square feet of gallery space and will continue to evolve over time.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Copying Hudson's natural glam starts with filling your cart with the eight products below.—
Izzy Baskette,
PEOPLE,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Ultimately, the twenty-one hours of negotiations ended in a deadlock, with the main sticking point being the extent to which Iran’s nuclear activity will be allowed to continue.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Geny Catamo came closest to breaking the deadlock towards the end of the first half, striking the post as the visitors edged the opening 45 minutes.—
Jack Lang,
New York Times,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Carlin Karr, director of wine and beverage at Stuckey’s restaurants — including Michelin-starred and James Beard Award-winning Frasca Food and Wine in Boulder — believes roughly 1 in 10 wine bottles are off in taste, or corked.—
Jeremy Harlan,
CNN Money,
16 July 2025
-
Public opposition to the fee helped cork the proposal.—
Sarah Scoles,
JSTOR Daily,
11 June 2025
Noun
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Calls for airport screening privatization may appear to be a knee-jerk reaction to the Department of Homeland Security funding impasse in Congress.—
Sheldon H. Jacobson,
Twin Cities,
19 Apr. 2026
-
The council was split on the proposal, in the end reaching a 3-3 vote impasse, with Mayor Larry Agran and Councilmembers Betty Martinez Franco and Melinda Liu opposed, and Mike Carrol absent.—
Victoria Le,
Oc Register,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But the estuary, which had been silting up since the 11th century, had different ideas.—
Rob Crossan,
Condé Nast Traveler,
24 Mar. 2026
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The rock was originally silt on the seafloor that, it's argued, hosted early microbial life that was buried by more silt, leaving the carbon as their remains.—
Howard Lee,
ArsTechnica,
11 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The minutes-long standstill forced several people into the street; many more, including my husband and his cane, engaged in a potentially perilous stutter-step around the two knee-high, randomly moving yet noncommunicative vehicles.—
Culture Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2026
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Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has been at a near-standstill for weeks amid the Iran war, sending prices of oil and other key goods soaring.—
Phil Helsel,
NBC news,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The brand’s archive section is packed with best-sellers, including comfy pants, trendy jackets, and designer-quality handbags.—
Jacqueline Tempera,
PEOPLE,
16 Apr. 2026
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Back then, Kennedy was constantly fending off accusations from Protestant ecclesiastic types who were wary that his nomination meant the pontiff, John XXIII, was already packing his bags for a move into the White House.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gridlock.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gridlock. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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