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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gridlock
Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Apr. 2025
The agreement allows Republicans to break the gridlock that the House faced last week and vote on upcoming legislation.
—Sudiksha Kochi, USA Today, 7 Apr. 2025
Alan Wooten | The Center Square, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 13 Aug. 2024
Hitler exploited his 37% to gridlock legislative processes, to cudgel or crush the political opposition, and ultimately to undermine the country’s democratic structures.
—Timothy Ryback, TIME, 26 Apr. 2024
See All Example Sentences for gridlock
Noun
Growth is inevitable, but gridlock, overwhelmed city services, and disconnected communities don’t have to be.
—Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Apr. 2025
The agreement allows Republicans to break the gridlock that the House faced last week and vote on upcoming legislation.
—Sudiksha Kochi, USA Today, 7 Apr. 2025
Verb
Their effort has been criticized as a road to gridlock while, in the aftermath instead, a summer of litigation and investigation of actions has played out.
—Alan Wooten | The Center Square, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 13 Aug. 2024
Hitler exploited his 37% to gridlock legislative processes, to cudgel or crush the political opposition, and ultimately to undermine the country’s democratic structures.
—Timothy Ryback, TIME, 26 Apr. 2024
See All Example Sentences for gridlock
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gridlock
Noun
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People magazine similarly reported the relationship has come to a halt.—
Jami Ganz,
New York Daily News,
17 May 2025
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However, when the COVID-19 pandemic brought Broadway to a halt, Koguchi found herself in a foreign country, unable to perform.—
J.M. Banks,
Kansas City Star,
17 May 2025
Verb
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The agency, whose fewer than 1,900 federal employees oversee the more than 60,000 contractors who build and maintain the U.S. nuclear arsenal, has struggled to fill crucial safety roles.—
Davis Winkie,
USA Today,
19 May 2025
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And the internet is filled with travel advisors and tour agencies that sell these types of hidden adventures.—
Ramsey Qubein,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2025
Noun
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has proposed a trilateral meeting between himself, U.S. President Donald Trump, and Russian President Vladimir Putin to break the deadlock on ending Moscow's invasion.—
Shane Croucher
John Feng,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 May 2025
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Now, the city faces the challenge of operating up to six months with just six council members, increasing the risk of deadlocks on important decisions, after the council failed to appoint an interim council member on Tuesday.—
Verónica Egui Brito,
Miami Herald,
28 May 2025
Verb
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The brash freshman who spent much of the season bragging to teammates about his power corked a bat to crush balls even farther.—
Chandler Rome,
The Athletic,
20 Aug. 2024
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Pair with a bottle of wine or corked beverage of choice for an even more elevated gift.—
Rachel Fletcher,
Architectural Digest,
9 Oct. 2024
Noun
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That timeline is where the two rivals find themselves at an impasse.—
Houston Mitchell,
Los Angeles Times,
22 May 2025
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The California Department of Human Resources filed an unfair practice charge against the union, arguing that bargaining had not reached an impasse when those workers went on strike.—
William Melhado,
Sacbee.com,
21 May 2025
Verb
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For his big plan, Yu can use them along with geographic information system (GIS) and satellite imagery to track China’s landscape changes as urbanization spreads, as estuaries and deltas silt up, as water starts to move differently across landscapes and cityscapes.—
Erica Gies,
Scientific American,
1 Dec. 2018
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All the while, the Guadalquivir River, which allowed ships into Seville, began to silt up, forcing trade southward to the coastal town of Cádiz.—
Walker Mimms,
New York Times,
12 Jan. 2023
Noun
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While lawsuits in the US largely came to a standstill, cases in the European Union progressed well for Epic, with the publisher successfully arguing that third-party app stores should be allowed to exist on iOS, something that has since been allowed in the EU.—
Oliver Brandt,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 May 2025
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The tariff dispute brought nearly $600 billion in two-way trade to a standstill, disrupting supply chains, sparking fears of stagflation and triggering some layoffs.—
Emma Farge,
USA Today,
12 May 2025
Verb
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The show will be packed with huge stars, exclusive reveals, and live performances for fans.—
DeVonne Goode,
Parents,
29 May 2025
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Farm Share, a main supplier of free food in the county, said the U.S. Department of Agriculture recently cut in half the number of semi-trucks packed with cans, produce, and dry goods like rice and beans that find their way to local charities and nonprofits.—
Douglas Hanks,
Miami Herald,
29 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gridlock.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gridlock. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.
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