1
a
: lacking opportunities especially for advancement
a dead-end job
b
: lacking an exit
a dead-end street
2
: unruly
dead-end kids
dead-ended; dead-ending; dead-ends
: to come to a dead end : terminate
the road dead-ends at the lake
the investigation dead-ended
1
: an end (as of a street) without an exit
2
: a position, situation, or course of action that leads to nothing further
Synonyms
Examples of dead-end in a Sentence
Verb
after several fruitless years, the research seems to have simply dead-ended
Noun
We came to a dead end and had to turn around.
My career has hit a dead end.
Recent Examples on the Web
Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
The bits with Julia and Randall were better than the other dead-end scenes.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 2 Nov. 2024
Tim Pitt, Robb Report, 15 Mar. 2023
Commissioner Andrew Brink said without a street connection to the east, the roundabout effectively will dead-end within the development.
—Stacy Ryburn, Arkansas Online, 14 Mar. 2023
Ge Bai, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2024
Her brother hit a dead end street, bailed from the car and started to run.
—Suzette Hackney, USA TODAY, 8 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dead-end 
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Adjective
Director Bruce Goodison applies the tension well in the first two thirds of this efficient Shudder release, but then the plot smacks into a dead-end in its final act.
—Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
The bits with Julia and Randall were better than the other dead-end scenes.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 2 Nov. 2024
Verb
Where any normal car would need a three-point turn (down yet another dead-end Camden side street, for instance), the taxi simply spins around and goes.
—Tim Pitt, Robb Report, 15 Mar. 2023
Commissioner Andrew Brink said without a street connection to the east, the roundabout effectively will dead-end within the development.
—Stacy Ryburn, Arkansas Online, 14 Mar. 2023
Noun
Because this would lead to a dead end: stagnation, poverty, and inequality.
—Ge Bai, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2024
Her brother hit a dead end street, bailed from the car and started to run.
—Suzette Hackney, USA TODAY, 8 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dead-end
Dictionary Entries Near dead-end
Cite this Entry
“Dead-end.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dead-end. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
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