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
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
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