deadlock
Americannoun
-
a state in which progress is impossible, as in a dispute, produced by the counteraction of opposing forces; standstill; stalemate.
The union and management reached a deadlock over fringe benefits.
-
a maximum-security cell for the solitary confinement of a prisoner.
verb (used with or without object)
noun
-
a state of affairs in which further action between two opposing forces is impossible; stalemate
-
a tie between opposite sides in a contest
-
a lock having a bolt that can be opened only with a key
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
have deadlockedperfect
-
has deadlockedperfect 3rd person singular
-
am deadlockingprogressive 1st person singular
-
is deadlockingprogressive 3rd person singular
-
has been deadlockingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
-
are deadlockingprogressive
-
deadlockingparticiple
-
have been deadlockingperfect progressive
-
deadlockssingular 3rd person
Past
-
had deadlockedperfect
-
had been deadlockingperfect progressive
-
were deadlockingprogressive plural
-
was deadlockingprogressive singular
-
deadlockedparticiple
-
deadlockedsimple
Future
Etymology
Origin of deadlock
Explanation
Use the noun deadlock to describe a standstill, as when two people or sides cannot move beyond a disagreement. Deadlock can also mean a game that results in an unbreakable tie or a stalemate, like when you are in a five-hour thumb-wrestling match with no winner. You can easily remember the meaning of this compound word, by thinking about its two word parts — dead + lock. The first appearance of deadlock was in The Critic, a play by Richard Brinsley Sheridan: “I have them all at a deadlock, for every one of them is afraid to let go first.”
Vocabulary lists containing deadlock
Never Let Me Go
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Vocabulary from Vladimir Putin's Speech on Crimea
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Egypt Game
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
While Pastef's majority in the National Assembly can censure the government, in the event of a deadlock the president can resort to "exceptional powers" to govern by decree for three months, noted Diallo.
From Barron's • Jun. 2, 2026
The deadlock which needs to be broken is over which issues should be addressed in the framework and which should be left to a later stage.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026
Even writing a note about their deadlock was contentious, with two jurors wanting to include language about how the judge didn’t provide a glossary of legal terms.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026
It worked for the most part and Guardiola's side were in need of some inspiration to try to break the deadlock.
From BBC • May 16, 2026
Perhaps James Garfield was the right man to break the convention’s deadlock.
From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
