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
Kaila Yu, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Apr. 2026
The concern is so great that West End residents complained at a hearing on a neighborhood development proposal in late 2024 that they were forced to take longer, alternate routes just to avoid the near-constant gridlock.
—Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 21 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
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the transformation has come with tradeoffs, causing traffic gridlock and sending rents and home prices skyrocketing.
—Kaila Yu, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Apr. 2026
The concern is so great that West End residents complained at a hearing on a neighborhood development proposal in late 2024 that they were forced to take longer, alternate routes just to avoid the near-constant gridlock.
—Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 21 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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At the climax, the music, seemingly stuck in a digital rut, comes to a halt as a static image of Charli is busted through by a bunch of young men seemingly bringing a mosh pit out into the open.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
8 May 2026
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So far, Aoun has refused to engage in face-to-face discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, demanding a complete halt to Israeli fire on the country.—
Mustafa Qadri,
CNN Money,
8 May 2026
Verb
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As officers chased him through a busy crosswalk filled with pedestrians, Marx turned and fired in the direction of a Secret Service officer, documents say.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
7 May 2026
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In a special Senate primary to fill the seat vacated when Vice President JD Vance was inaugurated, Sherrod Brown won the Democratic primary, and Republican John Husted, who was appointed to Vance's seat, ran uncontested for the GOP nomination.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
6 May 2026
Noun
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That deadlock prompted an unusually long recess of nearly 90 minutes that was followed by a 6-0 vote in favor of retreating on the bus stops.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 May 2026
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The main factor is the seemingly unresolvable deadlock in Ukraine.—
Joshua Yaffa,
New Yorker,
8 May 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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Iran has only accelerated efforts to retrieve its munitions in recent days as the potential for the war to resume increases with peace negotiations at an apparent impasse, the sources said.—
Kayla Hayempour,
NBC news,
1 May 2026
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The impasse was prompted by congressional Democrats' demands for immigration enforcement reforms after the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good in Minnesota earlier this year.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
1 May 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 video shows cars at a standstill with people telling them not to move.—
Joe Bruno,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Apr. 2026
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The country’s labor market didn’t come to a standstill, as was the case in other countries in the region such as the United Arab Emirates where the vast majority of workers are migrants who tried to leave, but for Rozen, something new and troubling was laid bare.—
Theia Chatelle,
Sun Sentinel,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Former First Lady Laura Bush is credited with putting these delicious cookies—packed with oats, coconut, pecans, and chocolate chips—on the map.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
6 May 2026
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Douglas Tollefsen, one of the five defendants facing murder charges, is said to have tested fireworks inside the warehouse — packed with explosives — months before the blast according to Berry and other sources.—
Joe Rubin,
Sacbee.com,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gridlock.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gridlock. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
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