as in halt
a point in a struggle where neither side is capable of winning or willing to give in
with the White House controlled by one party and Congress by the other, the nation experienced four years of legislative gridlock
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as in to fill
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gridlock
Parmy Olson, Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2025
Then the blue team can get control of at least one chamber and again do nothing, but do it with the special verve that comes from gridlock: power without responsibility.
—Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 11 Apr. 2025
Alan Wooten | The Center Square, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 13 Aug. 2024
Hitler exploited his 37% to gridlock legislative processes, to cudgel or crush the political opposition, and ultimately to undermine the country’s democratic structures.
—Timothy Ryback, TIME, 26 Apr. 2024
See All Example Sentences for gridlock
Noun
Despite bipartisan enthusiasm to address online harms, congressional gridlock has continued for years, meaning that lawsuits like the ones featured in Can’t Look Away might be a more effective remedy.
—Parmy Olson, Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2025
Then the blue team can get control of at least one chamber and again do nothing, but do it with the special verve that comes from gridlock: power without responsibility.
—Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 11 Apr. 2025
Verb
Their effort has been criticized as a road to gridlock while, in the aftermath instead, a summer of litigation and investigation of actions has played out.
—Alan Wooten | The Center Square, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 13 Aug. 2024
Hitler exploited his 37% to gridlock legislative processes, to cudgel or crush the political opposition, and ultimately to undermine the country’s democratic structures.
—Timothy Ryback, TIME, 26 Apr. 2024
See All Example Sentences for gridlock
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gridlock
Noun
-
That was after the pandemic lockdown brought concerts — and much of the world — shuddering to a halt in 2020 and much of 2021 (and before the COVID resurgence that followed).—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 May 2025
-
Your money can become temporarily or permanently inaccessible, payment systems can seize up, and the real economy can be brought to a halt.—
Jon Helgi Egilsson,
Forbes.com,
29 May 2025
Verb
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And if how well graduates do in the labor market is now a key driver of excellence, that should translate into greater economic mobility for students and a more prepared talent supply to fill key jobs in local economies.—
Matt Gandal,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
-
Whenever a network booking agent asked for someone from the magazine to fill a seat and dish on the day’s sports news, most writers shrugged.—
Zak Keefer,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
Noun
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Now, the city faces the challenge of operating up to six months with just six council members, increasing the risk of deadlocks on important decisions, after the council failed to appoint an interim council member on Tuesday.—
Verónica Egui Brito,
Miami Herald,
28 May 2025
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has proposed a trilateral meeting between himself, U.S. President Donald Trump, and Russian President Vladimir Putin to break the deadlock on ending Moscow's invasion.—
Shane Croucher
John Feng,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 May 2025
Verb
-
The brash freshman who spent much of the season bragging to teammates about his power corked a bat to crush balls even farther.—
Chandler Rome,
The Athletic,
20 Aug. 2024
-
Pair with a bottle of wine or corked beverage of choice for an even more elevated gift.—
Rachel Fletcher,
Architectural Digest,
9 Oct. 2024
Noun
-
That timeline is where the two rivals find themselves at an impasse.—
Houston Mitchell,
Los Angeles Times,
22 May 2025
-
The California Department of Human Resources filed an unfair practice charge against the union, arguing that bargaining had not reached an impasse when those workers went on strike.—
William Melhado,
Sacbee.com,
21 May 2025
Verb
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For his big plan, Yu can use them along with geographic information system (GIS) and satellite imagery to track China’s landscape changes as urbanization spreads, as estuaries and deltas silt up, as water starts to move differently across landscapes and cityscapes.—
Erica Gies,
Scientific American,
1 Dec. 2018
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All the while, the Guadalquivir River, which allowed ships into Seville, began to silt up, forcing trade southward to the coastal town of Cádiz.—
Walker Mimms,
New York Times,
12 Jan. 2023
Noun
-
The supercar can achieve 62mph from a standstill in under three seconds and produces 1,984lbs (900kg) of downforce at 155mph.—
Trinity Francis,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
-
Weeks went by and then months with Paul and the producers at odds, and the project was at a standstill.—
Matt Wolf,
Vulture,
28 May 2025
Verb
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The show will be packed with huge stars, exclusive reveals, and live performances for fans.—
DeVonne Goode,
Parents,
29 May 2025
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Farm Share, a main supplier of free food in the county, said the U.S. Department of Agriculture recently cut in half the number of semi-trucks packed with cans, produce, and dry goods like rice and beans that find their way to local charities and nonprofits.—
Douglas Hanks,
Miami Herald,
29 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gridlock.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gridlock. Accessed 7 Jun. 2025.
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