Standard Lemma guide

deadlock

noun · verb · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈdɛdˌlɒk/
  • General-American: /ˈdɛdˌlɑk/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Australian: /ˈdedˌlɔk/
  • CMU ARPABET: D EH1 D L AA2 K Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A standstill resulting from the opposition of two evenly matched forces; a stalemate or impasse.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • The negotiation ended in deadlock, with neither party willing to compromise on the price.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

An inability to continue due to two programs or devices each requiring a response from the other before completing an operation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Synonym of deadbolt (“type of lock”).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: deadbolt

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To cause or come to a deadlock.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To bring to a state of deadlock.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

a situation in which no progress can be made or no advancement is possible

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • reached an impasse on the negotiations

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: dead end, impasse, stalemate, standstill

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: situation

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English dead Proto-Indo-European *lewg-der. Proto-Germanic *luką Proto-West Germanic *lok Old English loc Middle English lok English lock English deadlock From dead + lock.

Across languages

Translations

66 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: застой (zastoj) — standstill
  • Bulgarian: мъртва точка (mǎrtva točka) — standstill
  • Catalan: bloqueig — standstill
  • Chinese Mandarin: 僵局 (jiāngjú) — standstill
  • Czech: mrtvý bod — standstill
  • Finnish: solmu — standstill
  • Finnish: umpikuja — standstill
  • French: impasse — standstill
  • Georgian: გამოუვალი მდგომარეობა (gamouvali mdgomareoba) — standstill
  • Georgian: ჩიხი (čixi) — standstill
  • German: toter Punkt — standstill
  • German: Stillstand — standstill
  • Greek: αδιέξοδο (adiéxodo) — standstill
  • Greek: στάση (stási) — standstill
  • Hungarian: holtpont — standstill
  • Hungarian: patthelyzet — standstill
  • Italian: punto morto — standstill
  • Italian: arresto — standstill
  • Italian: blocco — standstill
  • Italian: stallo — standstill
  • Italian: stasi — standstill
  • Italian: fermo — standstill
  • Japanese: 膠着状態 (kōchaku jōtai) — standstill
  • Japanese: 停滞 (teitai) — standstill
  • Japanese: 行き詰まり (ikidzumari) — standstill
  • Macedonian: за́стој (zástoj) — standstill
  • Macedonian: мр́тва то́чка (mŕtva tóčka) — standstill
  • Māori: whakamāraritanga — standstill
  • Polish: zastój — standstill
  • Polish: martwy punkt — standstill
  • Polish: impas — standstill
  • Portuguese: impasse — standstill
  • Russian: засто́й (zastój) — standstill
  • Russian: мёртвая то́чка (mjórtvaja tóčka) — standstill
  • Russian: тупи́к (tupík) — standstill
  • Russian: патовая ситуация (patovaja situacija) — standstill
  • Russian: клинч (klinč) — standstill
  • Slovene: mrtva točka — standstill
  • Spanish: estancamiento — standstill
  • Spanish: punto muerto — standstill
  • Spanish: callejón sin salida — standstill
  • Spanish: impasse — standstill
  • Spanish: impás — standstill
  • Swedish: baklås — standstill
  • Swedish: dödläge — standstill
  • Turkish: çıkmaz — standstill
  • Bulgarian: де́длок (dédlok) — computing: inability to continue due to two programs or devices each requiring a response from the other before completing an operation
  • Chinese Mandarin: 死鎖 /死锁 (sǐsuǒ) — computing: inability to continue due to two programs or devices each requiring a response from the other before completing an operation
  • Chinese Mandarin: 鎖死 /锁死 (suǒsǐ) — computing: inability to continue due to two programs or devices each requiring a response from the other before completing an operation
  • Czech: deadlock — computing: inability to continue due to two programs or devices each requiring a response from the other before completing an operation
  • Czech: uváznutí — computing: inability to continue due to two programs or devices each requiring a response from the other before completing an operation
  • French: interblocage — computing: inability to continue due to two programs or devices each requiring a response from the other before completing an operation
  • French: étreinte fatale — computing: inability to continue due to two programs or devices each requiring a response from the other before completing an operation
  • German: Deadlock — computing: inability to continue due to two programs or devices each requiring a response from the other before completing an operation
  • German: Verklemmung — computing: inability to continue due to two programs or devices each requiring a response from the other before completing an operation
  • Greek: κώλυμα (kólyma) — computing: inability to continue due to two programs or devices each requiring a response from the other before completing an operation
  • Greek: σταμάτημα (stamátima) — computing: inability to continue due to two programs or devices each requiring a response from the other before completing an operation
  • Japanese: デッドロック (deddorokku) — computing: inability to continue due to two programs or devices each requiring a response from the other before completing an operation
  • Polish: zakleszczenie — computing: inability to continue due to two programs or devices each requiring a response from the other before completing an operation
  • Portuguese: deadlock — computing: inability to continue due to two programs or devices each requiring a response from the other before completing an operation
  • Russian: взаи́мная блокиро́вка (vzaímnaja blokiróvka) — computing: inability to continue due to two programs or devices each requiring a response from the other before completing an operation
  • Russian: де́длок (dɛ́dlok) — computing: inability to continue due to two programs or devices each requiring a response from the other before completing an operation
  • Swedish: baklås — computing: inability to continue due to two programs or devices each requiring a response from the other before completing an operation
  • Swedish: dödläge — computing: inability to continue due to two programs or devices each requiring a response from the other before completing an operation
  • Turkish: deadlock — computing: inability to continue due to two programs or devices each requiring a response from the other before completing an operation
  • Turkish: kilitlenme — computing: inability to continue due to two programs or devices each requiring a response from the other before completing an operation
Real reading context

deadlock in complete knowledge articles