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
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 2 Jan. 2026
For anyone who’s ever been stuck in afternoon rush hour gridlock on the way to an afternoon flight, that alone can be reason enough to choose the first departure of the day.
—Alesandra Dubin, Southern Living, 27 Dec. 2025
Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 28 Jan. 2025
Angling for position, the taxis engage in a series of polite reversals and turns that quickly gives way to gridlock.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for gridlock
Noun
The city needs to remove those trees and build a ramp garage to eliminate the on-street parking to ease some of the downtown gridlock created by increasing density.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 2 Jan. 2026
For anyone who’s ever been stuck in afternoon rush hour gridlock on the way to an afternoon flight, that alone can be reason enough to choose the first departure of the day.
—Alesandra Dubin, Southern Living, 27 Dec. 2025
Verb
Cincinnati Just as a three- or four-team tie atop the Big 12 feels likely, so, too, does gridlock in the cellar.
—Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 28 Jan. 2025
Angling for position, the taxis engage in a series of polite reversals and turns that quickly gives way to gridlock.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for gridlock
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gridlock
Noun
-
The project came to a halt after Greenland banned uranium mining in 2021 and it is now mired in litigation.—
Spencer Kimball,
CNBC,
23 Jan. 2026
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Both companies were hit hard by the pandemic, when cruising ground to a halt.—
Kevin Rozario,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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This rings especially true in a space like the living room, which gets filled with sofas, bookshelves, artwork, and everything in between.—
Shagun Khare,
The Spruce,
22 Jan. 2026
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But he was also quickly impeached following wrangling with opposition lawmakers over his refusal to fill vacant seats at the Constitutional Court, which was deliberating whether to formally throw Yoon out of office.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
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After Arsenal failed to register a shot on target during the first half, Arteta replaced Gabriel Martinelli, who missed a golden opportunity to break the deadlock from close range (below), at half-time with Leandro Trossard.—
Dan Sheldon,
New York Times,
17 Jan. 2026
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The Antlers bounced back from an early 9-6 deficit to force an 18-18 halftime deadlock, then outscored the Eagles 12-8 in the third quarter to take a 30-26 lead.—
NWA Democrat-Gazette,
Arkansas Online,
15 Jan. 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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That impasse ended in late October 2025, when Charles ordered his brother to surrender the lease on Royal Lodge.—
Simon Perry,
PEOPLE,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Status quo continues until there is a new agreement or there’s an impasse in negotiations.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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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
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Historically, the region itself was created by the natural flooding and silting processes of the Mississippi River, which flows across the breadth of the state before spilling into the Gulf of America.—
David Blackmon,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2025
Noun
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Despite traffic being at a near standstill, drivers manage to cut each other off.—
Max Klaver,
Miami Herald,
23 Jan. 2026
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This is a major system that will cause numerous airport delays, traffic to come to a standstill in many cases, when traffic is moving, slick spots will be an issue, and a spike in energy bills and likely fires as people try to stay warm should be expected.—
Ron Smiley,
CBS News,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Its blend of grapefruit, lemon, and orange packs a zesty punch, while the jasmine base note adds a delicate, soft undertone.—
Alyssa Morin,
InStyle,
22 Jan. 2026
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Newlyweds have flocked to the region for centuries due to its stunning natural beauty, and the mountains are packed with adults-only resorts.—
Cailey Rizzo,
Travel + Leisure,
21 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gridlock.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gridlock. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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