gridlock 1 of 2

noun

ˈgrid-ˌläk How to pronounce gridlock (audio)
Definition of gridlocknext
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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gridlock

2 of 2

verb

as in to fill

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Dissimilar Words

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 gridlock
Noun
Government Minister Dinoska Montalvo said Friday that safety inspections of the Centenario Bridge, including a temporary lane restriction, contributed to the gridlock. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2026 If Democrats take even one chamber of Congress, that will translate into gridlock in Washington, where a Republican White House wields veto power over any assertive legislation, which would reassure the tech industry. — Tobias Burns, CNBC, 9 Oct. 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
  1. halt
  2. fill
  3. deadlock
  4. cork
  5. impasse
  6. silt
  7. standstill
  8. pack
Noun
  • No bigger than a microwave oven, Idefix will plop onto Phobos by itself, bouncing for several minutes before coming to a halt in the moon's extraordinarily low gravity.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The sharp decline earlier this year in software stocks ground dealmaking in the sector to a halt, as CEOs were reluctant to sell at the bottom and private-equity firms struggled to raise the debt.
    — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of halt
Verb
  • Building 1,600 stores at once Once the leases are signed, Spirit has to fill them.
    — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Its magical forest is filled with talking animals, tree-worshipping mystics, scheming functionaries, and the Dowager Governess (Carey Mulligan), an enchantress who commands an army of uniformed coyotes.
    — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of fill
Noun
  • The result could be another fragile coalition; an unlikely unity government between Netanyahu and Eisenkot; or a prolonged deadlock that sends Israelis back to the polls.
    — Eric Cortellessa, Time, 22 Oct. 2026
  • This meant that the negotiating parties had reached a deadlock beyond which further discussion would be futile.
    — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of deadlock
Verb
  • Web-like striations or corking on jalapeño skins occur when plants are stressed by irregular watering, dry soil, or high heat.
    — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 May 2026
  • Peppers with smooth skins will be less hot than peppers that display corking.
    — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 May 2026
Definition of cork
Noun
  • An impasse was called in early September, in part, after SEIU Local 1000 expressed frustrations about mass proposal rejections.
    — Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The first gallery presents Krasner’s collage works from the mid 1950s, when Pollock was at an artistic impasse and spiraling out of control.
    — John Yau, ARTnews.com, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of impasse
Verb
  • But the estuary, which had been silting up since the 11th century, had different ideas.
    — Rob Crossan, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Mar. 2026
  • 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
Definition of silt
Noun
  • But across higher education, new efforts have come to a standstill, said Richard Cellini, who previously led a Harvard University project to identify descendants of people enslaved by Harvard’s past leaders.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
  • According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the fire broke out near Atlantic Boulevard in Pompano Beach, sending thick plumes of black smoke into the air and bringing northbound traffic to a standstill.
    — CBS Miami Team, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of standstill
Verb
  • Compton and Clark weave a folksy Celtic score, packed with thigh-slapping drinking songs, ethereal ballads and soaring earworms.
    — Thomas Floyd, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Flight imposes strict weight limits, so birds pack enormous numbers of very small neurons into very small brains.
    — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of pack

Browse Nearby Words

griddle cakes
gridlock
gridlocked
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Cite this Entry

“Gridlock.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gridlock. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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