grid·lock
ˈgrid-ˌläk 
1
: a traffic jam in which a grid of intersecting streets is so completely congested that no vehicular movement is possible
2
: a situation resembling gridlock (as in congestion or lack of movement)
political gridlock
gridlocked; gridlocking; gridlocks
: 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
Kyra GurneyAlmost immediately, heavy rains had gridlocked the narrow supply trail from Siboney on the coast.—Michael Blow
Michael Blow
also
: to experience gridlock
This statement came while Congress gridlocked yet again on a campaign finance measure. —David Corn
David Corn Synonyms
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 WebDaniel Desrochers, Kansas City Star, 15 Apr. 2024
Just Blew One Up In Eastern Ukraine Tapering QT signifies the Fed's concern about the federal government's borrowing costs, particularly as Congress faces gridlock in controlling deficits.
—Dan Irvine, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
Turning low-income Americans into political pawns Despite the ACP’s popularity, routine congressional gridlock and the politics of an election year have turned low-income Americans into unwitting — and in many cases unwilling — pawns in a much larger battle.
—Brian Fung, CNN, 23 Mar. 2024
During his final Senate speech in 2013, ‘Lieberman urged Congress to look beyond party lines and partisan rancor to break Washington gridlock,’ the Associated Press reported.
—Edward Segal, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
During his final Senate speech, Lieberman urged Congress to look beyond party lines and partisan rancor to break Washington gridlock.
—Susan Haigh, Fortune, 28 Mar. 2024
Considering the gridlock on Capitol Hill, there is little immediate prospect of similar legislation in the United States.
—John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2024
Some of the ideas in the DMA have been replicated in US legislation but have failed to pass amid industry opposition and ordinary congressional gridlock.
—Brian Fung, CNN, 7 Mar. 2024
Millions more plan to travel to see it firsthand, fueling a small spending boom and a potential path of gridlock across the country.
—Justine McDaniel, Washington Post, 2 Apr. 2024
Timothy Ryback, TIME, 26 Apr. 2024
With so many people, the traffic jam at times slowed to gridlock.
—Julie Turkewitz Federico Rios, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2023
Thus, his paean to gridlock — we’re saved!
—Star Tribune, 13 Nov. 2020
Management’s proposal called for the threshold to be dropped to $180 million, another factor that may gridlock many free agent negotiations.
—Ronald Blum, courant.com, 24 Oct. 2021
To view them as part of the landscape, like the Golden Gate Bridge or gridlock on 880.
—Ann Killion, San Francisco Chronicle, 17 May 2021
The crowd roared approval at the idea that their movement would gridlock the city if jurors hearing the case against former police officer Derek Chauvin failed to convict him in Floyd's death.
—Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY, 25 Apr. 2021
That policy change, according to mailing and logistics experts, would gridlock the entire postal network.
—Anchorage Daily News, 25 Feb. 2021
Noun
Instead, Davids has turned to talking about partisan gridlock.
—Daniel Desrochers, Kansas City Star, 15 Apr. 2024
Just Blew One Up In Eastern Ukraine Tapering QT signifies the Fed's concern about the federal government's borrowing costs, particularly as Congress faces gridlock in controlling deficits.
—Dan Irvine, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
Turning low-income Americans into political pawns Despite the ACP’s popularity, routine congressional gridlock and the politics of an election year have turned low-income Americans into unwitting — and in many cases unwilling — pawns in a much larger battle.
—Brian Fung, CNN, 23 Mar. 2024
During his final Senate speech in 2013, ‘Lieberman urged Congress to look beyond party lines and partisan rancor to break Washington gridlock,’ the Associated Press reported.
—Edward Segal, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
During his final Senate speech, Lieberman urged Congress to look beyond party lines and partisan rancor to break Washington gridlock.
—Susan Haigh, Fortune, 28 Mar. 2024
Considering the gridlock on Capitol Hill, there is little immediate prospect of similar legislation in the United States.
—John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2024
Some of the ideas in the DMA have been replicated in US legislation but have failed to pass amid industry opposition and ordinary congressional gridlock.
—Brian Fung, CNN, 7 Mar. 2024
Millions more plan to travel to see it firsthand, fueling a small spending boom and a potential path of gridlock across the country.
—Justine McDaniel, Washington Post, 2 Apr. 2024
Verb
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
With so many people, the traffic jam at times slowed to gridlock.
—Julie Turkewitz Federico Rios, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2023
Thus, his paean to gridlock — we’re saved!
—Star Tribune, 13 Nov. 2020
Management’s proposal called for the threshold to be dropped to $180 million, another factor that may gridlock many free agent negotiations.
—Ronald Blum, courant.com, 24 Oct. 2021
To view them as part of the landscape, like the Golden Gate Bridge or gridlock on 880.
—Ann Killion, San Francisco Chronicle, 17 May 2021
The crowd roared approval at the idea that their movement would gridlock the city if jurors hearing the case against former police officer Derek Chauvin failed to convict him in Floyd's death.
—Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY, 25 Apr. 2021
That policy change, according to mailing and logistics experts, would gridlock the entire postal network.
—Anchorage Daily News, 25 Feb. 2021
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.
Dictionary Entries Near gridlock
Cite this Entry
“Gridlock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gridlock. Accessed 2 May. 2024.
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