cul-de-sac
Americannoun
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a street, lane, etc., closed at one end; blind alley; dead-end street.
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any situation in which further progress is impossible.
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the hemming in of a military force on all sides except behind.
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Anatomy. a saclike cavity, tube, or the like, open only at one end, as the cecum.
noun
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a road with one end blocked off; dead end
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an inescapable position
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any tube-shaped bodily cavity or pouch closed at one end, such as the caecum
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of cul-de-sac
1730–40; < French: literally, bottom of the sack
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.
Swalwell has claimed that he rents space in the one-story house, located on a quiet cul-de-sac.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2026
Many end up churning through jobs or finding themselves stuck in a career cul-de-sac.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026
The property is also located at the end of a cul-de-sac, ensuring ample privacy.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 2, 2026
"The car then leaves Picketts Road and turns into the next road, Park Avenue, a cul-de-sac, giving a clear indication that this individual is seeking to remain close," Ledward said.
From BBC • Feb. 4, 2026
Daddy pulls into the driveway of a brown-brick house at the end of a cul-de-sac.
From "The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas
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.
