noun

gridlock

GRIHD-lok

noun

A traffic jam so severe that vehicles cannot move in any direction; also used for a complete standstill in progress or negotiations.

"Rush hour turned the entire downtown into gridlock."

"Political gridlock in Congress stalled the bill for months."

verb

To bring to a complete standstill.

"A jackknifed truck gridlocked the highway for hours."

How to Use Gridlock

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA total traffic jam, or by extension, any situation where nothing can move forward.

Common pairings

traffic gridlock political gridlock total gridlock

gridlocked past tense, gridlocks singular

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Can you complete this real example?

Rush hour turned the entire downtown into _____.

From "grid" (as in a city's street grid) plus "lock" — describing traffic locked solid across an entire grid of intersections.