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

See Examples For:

at loggerheads

With the two at loggerheads, analysts warned that the crisis could drag on, keeping oil prices elevated and putting pressure on inflation.

From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026

The Republic is thus at loggerheads with itself.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026

Wealthy countries and developing nations are at loggerheads over how the pandemic agreement, which was adopted last year, will work in practice.

From Barron's ● Jun. 15, 2026

More than a year later, they are at loggerheads on a major potential fix that could cost $50,000 per airplane.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 31, 2026

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