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
Charlotte Observer,
23 June 2026
Commuters on trains and cars alike should prepare for a difficult ride home on Monday evening as severe weather, a gridlock warning and a partial Penn Station shutdown will take place during peak hours.
—
Amethyst Martinez,
USA Today,
22 June 2026
Lora Kolodny,
CNBC,
22 Jan. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for gridlock
Noun
That kind of personal stake tends to cut through the usual legislative gridlock, though the bill still needs to clear the Senate.
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Charlotte Observer,
23 June 2026
Commuters on trains and cars alike should prepare for a difficult ride home on Monday evening as severe weather, a gridlock warning and a partial Penn Station shutdown will take place during peak hours.
—
Amethyst Martinez,
USA Today,
22 June 2026
Verb
Waymo's vehicles contributed to gridlock during storms and widespread power outages in San Francisco last month.
—
Lora Kolodny,
CNBC,
22 Jan. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for gridlock
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gridlock
Noun
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Gulf primary bond issuance came to an abrupt halt in the wake of the conflict, with corporate and sovereign bond yields jumping as geopolitical tensions escalated.
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Wrangling my emotions became the difference between sputtering to a halt and moving forward.
Verb
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Rather than designing a luxury escape filled with domestic gadgets, the architects have shaped a home that encourages slowing down and reconnecting with nature.
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Through the risk of lightning, sticky humidity and a winding line filled with thousands of chanting fans, Argentine fans flooded Bayfront Park with a sea of blue jerseys.
Noun
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Balogun’s fancy footwork broke a scoreless deadlock 45 minutes into the action, booting a left-footed shot through the goalie’s outstretched legs.
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And finally, in the 71st minute, the Netherlands has broken the scoreless deadlock after a wild run that ended with Cody Gakpo's score.
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.
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Public opposition to the fee helped cork the proposal.
Noun
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The conflicts, including a marathon 15-day impasse with Disney, stemmed from YouTube TV‘s steady growth into a dominant pay-TV operator just nine years after its debut.
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Speaker Mike Johnson is meeting with the president today amid the legislative impasse.
Verb
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But the estuary, which had been silting up since the 11th century, had different ideas.
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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.
Noun
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Amid a Republican rebellion to tighten voting restrictions, the House of Representatives is at a standstill, unable to pass key pieces of legislation that keep Americans safe and the government's wheels turning.
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Auto traffic on the Intercity Viaduct (today’s Lewis and Clark Viaduct) jammed and came to a standstill.
Verb
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Volunteers with Georgia's Own Credit Union spent Tuesday packing 500 meal kits as part of MUST Ministries' Summer Lunch program.
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Either way, Aestura’s Atobarrier 365 Ceramide Cream Mist is an easy way to give quick hydration to dry, stressed skin, thanks to an ultrafine spray packed with ceramides.
Cite this Entry
“Gridlock.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gridlock. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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