cul-de-sac

American  

[kuhl-duh-sak, -sak, kool-, kyd^uh-sak] / ˈkʌl dəˈsæk, -ˌsæk, ˈkʊl-, küdəˈsak /

noun

plural

culs-de-sac

1. a street, lane, etc., closed at one end; blind alley; dead-end street.

2. any situation in which further progress is impossible.

3. the hemming in of a military force on all sides except behind.

4. Anatomy. a saclike cavity, tube, or the like, open only at one end, as the cecum.

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cul-de-sac British  

/ ˈkʌldəˌsæk, ˈkʊl- /

noun

1. a road with one end blocked off; dead end

2. an inescapable position

3. any tube-shaped bodily cavity or pouch closed at one end, such as the caecum

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Etymology

Origin of cul-de-sac

1730–40; < French: literally, bottom of the sack

Example Sentences

After a briefing at Fire Station 23, Scott Pike and his partner took their ambulance to a cul-de-sac near the burn area.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 11, 2026

But amid blizzards, subzero winds, outrageous acts of state terror and every other despair lurking in The Big Dark, it’s a readily accessible, harmonious cul-de-sac in an era of rampant tone deafness.

From Salon • Feb. 7, 2026

The low-slung, ranch-style build is nestled at the end of a peaceful, private cul-de-sac surrounded by equestrian trails.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 5, 2026

She had assumed it had been left by a child in the cul-de-sac, but at the time thought it "was strange".

From BBC • Jan. 29, 2026

Then C. J., Nancy, and Gene drove out to the gas station, where they parked in a cul-de-sac by the highway, near some pay telephones.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston