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• dead end
  dead end

  noun

  something, as a street or water pipe, that has no exit.
• dead-end
  dead-end

  adjective

  terminating in a dead end.

dead end

¹ American  

noun

1. something, as a street or water pipe, that has no exit.

2. a position that offers no hope of progress; blind alley; cul-de-sac.

   His theory led him to a dead end.

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dead-end ² American  

[ded-end] / ˈdɛdˈɛnd /

adjective

1. terminating in a dead end.

   a dead-end street.

2. Also dead-ended. having no possibility for or hope of progress, advancement, etc..

   a low-level, dead-end job.

3. leading a life in the slums.

   growing up as a tough dead-end kid.

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verb (used without object)

1. to come to a dead end.

   The road dead-ends at the lake.

dead end British  

noun

1. another name for cul-de-sac

2. a situation in which further progress is impossible

3.  dead-end.  ( as modifier )

   a dead-end street

   a dead-end job

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verb

1. (intr) to come to a dead end

dead end Idioms  

1. A passage that has no exit, as in This street's a dead end, so turn back . [Late 1800s]

2. An impasse or blind alley, allowing no progress to be made. For example, This job is a dead end; I'll never be able to advance . [c. 1920]

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Etymology

Origin of dead end¹

First recorded in 1885–90

Origin of dead-end²

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

Owners Jingye seemed reluctant to ensure continued operations, and negotiations with the Chinese company to invest in new operations alongside government support hit a dead end.

From BBC • May 13, 2026

The fact that Vance and his team weren’t ready even to stay over one night suggests either that they were very naive or that they knew the trip was a dead end.

From Slate • Apr. 13, 2026

Artisanal makers of goat cheeses can be found along undulating roads through greenery that dead end at the foreboding promontory of Cabo Espichel.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

"Everyone is also coming to the conclusion that we're heading into a dead end," he said.

From Barron's • Jan. 19, 2026

I hear him say my name and the thought feels like nothing more than a dead end.

From "Dumplin'" by Julie Murphy

Related Words

• blocked
• closed