cul-de-sac
noun
ˈkəl-di-ˌsak 
ˈku̇l-;
ˌkəl-di-ˈsak,
ˌku̇l-
plural cul-de-sacs
ˈkəl-di-ˌsaks
ˈku̇l-;
ˌkəl-di-ˈsaks,
ˌku̇l-
also culs-de-sac
ˈkəl(z)-di-ˌsak
ˈku̇l(z)-;
ˌkəl(z)-di-ˈsak,
ˌku̇l(z)-
1
: a blind diverticulum or pouch
2
: a street or passage closed at one end
Our house is located on a quiet cul-de-sac.
3
: a fruitless or mistaken course or direction
If your job is a cul-de-sac, you have to quit or accept the fact that your career is over.—
Seth Godin
Seth GodinExamples of cul-de-sac in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The South isn’t appealing only to families seeking cul-de-sac living, either.
—Annie Joy Williams, The Atlantic, 4 Jan. 2026
Sited on a 9,040-square-foot, cul-de-sac lot, the house enjoys ocean views from inside the open floor plan, courtesy of floor-to-ceiling bifold glass doors.
—Sandra Barrera, Oc Register, 1 Jan. 2026
Laura Stephenson, a 57-year-old baker, was told by her DTLA attorney that her slip-and-fall in her Menifee cul-de-sac could net millions.
—Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 1 Jan. 2026
Yes, the path to a title is paved with gold and runs through a cul-de-sac in front of the 49ers’ team facility.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 29 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cul-de-sac
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Annie Joy Williams, The Atlantic, 4 Jan. 2026
Sited on a 9,040-square-foot, cul-de-sac lot, the house enjoys ocean views from inside the open floor plan, courtesy of floor-to-ceiling bifold glass doors.
—Sandra Barrera, Oc Register, 1 Jan. 2026
Laura Stephenson, a 57-year-old baker, was told by her DTLA attorney that her slip-and-fall in her Menifee cul-de-sac could net millions.
—Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 1 Jan. 2026
Yes, the path to a title is paved with gold and runs through a cul-de-sac in front of the 49ers’ team facility.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 29 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cul-de-sac
Cite this Entry
“Cul-de-sac.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cul-de-sac. Accessed 6 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cul-de-sac
noun
ˈkəl-di-ˌsak
ˈku̇l-
plural cul-de-sacs
ˈkəl-di-ˌsaks,
ˈku̇l-
also culs-de-sac
ˈkəl(z)-di-ˌsak,
ˈku̇l(z)-
: a street or passage closed at one end
Medical Definition
cul-de-sac
noun
plural culs-de-sac
ˈkəl(z)-, ˈku̇l(z)-, ˌkəl(z)-, ˌku̇l(z)-
also cul-de-sacs
-ˌsaks, -ˈsaks
also cul-de-sacs
-ˌsaks, -ˈsaks
1
: a blind diverticulum or pouch
also
: the closed end of such a pouch
2
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