logjam

noun

log·​jam ˈlȯg-ˌjam How to pronounce logjam (audio)
ˈläg-
1
: a jumble of logs jammed together in a watercourse
2
a
: deadlock, impasse
trying to break the logjam in negotiations
b
c
: jam, crowd
logjam transitive verb

Examples of logjam in a Sentence

He was called in to try to break the logjam in the negotiations. the presence of an ambulance on the side of the highway created a logjam of rubberneckers who just had to have a look
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Smith has great numbers from his 16-year NFL career — 13 seasons with Carolina, three with Baltimore — but he’s been caught in a Hall of Fame logjam at wide receiver. Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 7 Feb. 2025 Signing Bregman would create a logjam in the Chicago infield and Hoerner, not top prospect Matt Shaw, would likely be the odd man out. Kristan Hawkins, Newsweek, 6 Feb. 2025 Yet more than 7,000 people each day still opt to wait to speak to a person, creating a logjam that's only expected to worsen over the coming weeks and months. Kate Gibson, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2025 There’s a lottery logjam all around them, with 13 teams within four games above them in the standings and Philadelphia (15-23; two games worse) and Brooklyn (14-26; four games worse) between Chicago and the Trail Blazers. Sam Amick, The Athletic, 15 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for logjam 

Word History

First Known Use

1885, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of logjam was in 1885

Dictionary Entries Near logjam

Cite this Entry

“Logjam.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/logjam. Accessed 19 Feb. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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