1
: a state of inaction or neutralization resulting from the opposition of equally powerful uncompromising persons or factions : standstill
the deadlock was broken with a key compromise
2
: a tie score
deadlock
verb
Examples of deadlock in a Sentence
City councilors reached a deadlock over the law.
His goal broke a 3–3 deadlock.
Recent Examples on the Web
The Summit broke the deadlock in the 77th on Flint’s left-footed precision strike to retake the lead.
—
Phuoc Nguyen, Chicago Tribune, 3 May 2026
Instead of reaching some decisive crisis point, the conflict devolved into a deadlock – a war of attrition where neither side could achieve much more than small gains of territory in one place while suffering small losses of land in another.
—David Szondy
may 02, New Atlas, 2 May 2026
West Ham broke the deadlock thanks to a trademark Tomas Soucek header, only for Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to seemingly burst everyone’s bubbles by slamming in an equaliser with two minutes of normal time to play.
—Matt Slater, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026
But ultimately the world's most important central bank still faces a political deadlock, said DealBook in The New York Times.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 26 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deadlock
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Phuoc Nguyen, Chicago Tribune, 3 May 2026
Instead of reaching some decisive crisis point, the conflict devolved into a deadlock – a war of attrition where neither side could achieve much more than small gains of territory in one place while suffering small losses of land in another.
—David Szondy
may 02, New Atlas, 2 May 2026
West Ham broke the deadlock thanks to a trademark Tomas Soucek header, only for Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to seemingly burst everyone’s bubbles by slamming in an equaliser with two minutes of normal time to play.
—Matt Slater, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026
But ultimately the world's most important central bank still faces a political deadlock, said DealBook in The New York Times.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 26 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deadlock
Cite this Entry
“Deadlock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deadlock. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
deadlock
noun
dead·lock
-ˌläk 
: a stopping of action because both sides in a struggle are equally powerful and neither will give in
deadlock
verb
Legal Definition
deadlock
noun
dead·lock
ˈded-ˌläk
: a state of inaction resulting from the opposition of equally powerful uncompromising persons or factions: as
a
: the state of a jury unable to agree on a verdict see also allen charge
b
: impasse
c
: a state in which corporate directors are unable to perform their functions because of shareholder voting
deadlock
verb
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