dead in the water
phrase
1
: not making any progress : stalled
negotiations were dead in the water
2
: not having any chance of success
… most books are dead in the water long before their publication date.—
Phillip Lopate
Phillip LopateCite this Entry
“Dead in the water.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dead%20in%20the%20water. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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