gridlock

1 of 2

noun

grid·lock ˈgrid-ˌläk

: a traffic jam in which a grid of intersecting streets is so completely congested that no vehicular movement is possible

: a situation resembling gridlock (as in congestion or lack of movement)

political gridlock

gridlock

2 of 2

verb

gridlocked; gridlocking; gridlocks

transitive + intransitive

: to cause to be in a state or situation in which movement or progress is stopped completely : to produce gridlock in or of

streets gridlocked by heavy traffic

a government gridlocked by partisan rancor

Neighbors of the proposed site near the intersection … told commissioners they were concerned the school would bring hundreds of additional cars to the area, further gridlocking already bumper-to-bumper traffic.—

Kyra Gurney

Almost immediately, heavy rains had gridlocked the narrow supply trail from Siboney on the coast.—

Michael Blow

also : to experience gridlock

This statement came while Congress gridlocked yet again on a campaign finance measure. —

David Corn

Examples of gridlock in a Sentence

Noun An accident caused gridlock at rush hour yesterday. We were caught in a gridlock. Disagreements about funding have caused legislative gridlock in Congress.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Arriving on Capitol Hill, she was seen as the face of a new generation of Republicans and someone who could reach across the aisle as Americans were growing more frustrated over gridlock. —

Ken Tran, USA TODAY, 8 July 2024 Worse than gridlock would be if Le Pen’s National Rally joined forces with parts of the left to cut taxes and reverse some of Macron’s reforms, such as raising the retirement age to 64 years for most workers. —

Hanna Ziady, CNN, 1 July 2024

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

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gridlock.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.