Standard Lemma guide

logjam

noun · verb · 5 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.

  • CMU ARPABET: L AA1 G JH AE2 M Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

An excess of logs being conveyed on a river, so that their motion halts.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A clog or such jam or mess that halts or greatly delays progress.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

Examples

  • Efforts to amend the law got sidetracked in an administrative logjam.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To deliberately impede or delay the progress of.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

an immovable mass of logs blocking a river

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: mass

5

noun

Meaning 5

any stoppage attributable to unusual activity

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the legislation ran into a logjam

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: arrest, check, halt, hitch, stay, stop, stoppage

History

Etymology

From log + jam.

Across languages

Translations

20 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Dutch: stremming — An excess of logs being conveyed on a river
  • Finnish: tukkisuma — An excess of logs being conveyed on a river
  • French: bourrage — An excess of logs being conveyed on a river
  • German: Verklausung — An excess of logs being conveyed on a river
  • Russian: затор (zator) — An excess of logs being conveyed on a river
  • Swedish: bröt — An excess of logs being conveyed on a river
  • Dutch: opstopping — A clog; any jam or mess that halts or greatly delays progress
  • Dutch: impasse — A clog; any jam or mess that halts or greatly delays progress
  • Finnish: ruuhka — A clog; any jam or mess that halts or greatly delays progress
  • French: embouteillage — A clog; any jam or mess that halts or greatly delays progress
  • French: impasse — A clog; any jam or mess that halts or greatly delays progress
  • German: Blockade — A clog; any jam or mess that halts or greatly delays progress
  • German: Stillstand — A clog; any jam or mess that halts or greatly delays progress
  • Russian: тупик (tupik) — A clog; any jam or mess that halts or greatly delays progress
  • Spanish: atascamiento — A clog; any jam or mess that halts or greatly delays progress
  • Spanish: bloqueo — A clog; any jam or mess that halts or greatly delays progress
  • Spanish: obstrucción — A clog; any jam or mess that halts or greatly delays progress
  • Spanish: callejón sin salida — A clog; any jam or mess that halts or greatly delays progress
  • Spanish: círculo vicioso — A clog; any jam or mess that halts or greatly delays progress
  • Spanish: pescadilla que se muerde la cola — A clog; any jam or mess that halts or greatly delays progress