as in halt
a point in a struggle where neither side is capable of winning or willing to give in the jury sent a note to the judge that it was hopelessly stuck in a deadlock
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of deadlock After controlling possession for much of the opening moments, the home side broke the deadlock courtesy of midfielder Tumi Moshobane in the 16th minute. —
Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 19 Apr. 2026 Ultimately, the twenty-one hours of negotiations ended in a deadlock, with the main sticking point being the extent to which Iran’s nuclear activity will be allowed to continue. —Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 16 Apr. 2026 Geny Catamo came closest to breaking the deadlock towards the end of the first half, striking the post as the visitors edged the opening 45 minutes. —Jack Lang, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2026 The result is a structural deadlock that has nothing to do with Iranian or American negotiating skill. —Farah N. Jan, The Conversation, 14 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for deadlock
Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 19 Apr. 2026 Ultimately, the twenty-one hours of negotiations ended in a deadlock, with the main sticking point being the extent to which Iran’s nuclear activity will be allowed to continue. —Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 16 Apr. 2026 Geny Catamo came closest to breaking the deadlock towards the end of the first half, striking the post as the visitors edged the opening 45 minutes. —Jack Lang, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2026 The result is a structural deadlock that has nothing to do with Iranian or American negotiating skill. —Farah N. Jan, The Conversation, 14 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for deadlock
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deadlock
Noun
-
Which is why Michael’s final cut screeches to a halt in 1988, just as the star has broken out from his family and reached a new zenith as a solo performer.— Jasmine Vojdani, Vulture, 24 Apr. 2026
-
The Covid pandemic brought production to a halt, and then the writers and actors guild strikes shut down production again for months in 2023.— Julia Boorstin, CNBC, 24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Calls for airport screening privatization may appear to be a knee-jerk reaction to the Department of Homeland Security funding impasse in Congress.— Sheldon H. Jacobson, Twin Cities, 19 Apr. 2026
-
The council was split on the proposal, in the end reaching a 3-3 vote impasse, with Mayor Larry Agran and Councilmembers Betty Martinez Franco and Melinda Liu opposed, and Mike Carrol absent.— Victoria Le, Oc Register, 17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Could Moreno get $4 billion without a resolution to the long-running ballpark stalemate in Anaheim?— Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026
-
As the final pieces fall into place, the great 2026 redistricting war appears to be heading to a virtual stalemate that won’t prevent Democrats from being in the political driver’s seat to flip the House in the November election.— Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deadlock.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/deadlock. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
