at loggerheads

Cultural  

1. Engaged in a head-on dispute: “Labor and management are at loggerheads in this affair, and it may be some time before they can negotiate a settlement.”

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at loggerheads Idioms  

1. Engaged in a quarrel or dispute, as in The two families were always at loggerheads, making it difficult to celebrate holidays together. This term may have come from some earlier meaning of loggerhead, referring either to a blockhead or stupid person, or to a long-handled iron poker with a bulb-shaped end that was heated in the fire and used to melt pitch. If it was the latter, it may have been alluded to as a weapon. [Late 1600s] For a synonym, see at odds.

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Example Sentences

Signatories of the landmark nuclear non-proliferation treaty began a meeting Monday at the United Nations as fears of a renewed arms race escalate, with atomic powers again at loggerheads over safeguards.

From Barron's • Apr. 27, 2026

For many, having the government on their side helps when they are at loggerheads with pre-teens desperate to get onto social media.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026

The government of President Emmanuel Macron has been at loggerheads with Shein for weeks after French authorities said they had found illicit products being sold on the platform.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 19, 2025

The government had already been at loggerheads with Junts in other parliamentary votes and negotiated its support on a case-by-case basis.

From Barron's • Oct. 28, 2025

Mr. van Daan and I are always at loggerheads with each other.

From "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank

Related Words

• aggressive
• antagonistic
• bellicose
• combative
• contentious
• hostile
• ornery
• quarrelsome