What does gridlock mean?
Definitions for gridlock
ˈgrɪdˌlɒkgrid·lock
This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word gridlock.
Princeton's WordNet
gridlocknoun
a traffic jam so bad that no movement is possible
Wiktionary
gridlocknoun
A condition of total, interlocking traffic congestion on the streets or highways of a crowded city, in which no one can move because everyone is in someone else's way.
gridlocknoun
On a smaller scale: the situation in which cars enter a signal-controlled intersection too late during the green light cycle, and are unable to clear the intersection (due to congestion in the next block) when the light turns red, thus blocking the cross traffic when it's their turn to go. Repeated at enough intersections, this phenomenon can lead to citywide gridlock.
gridlocknoun
Figuratively and by extension, any paralysis of a complex system due to severe congestion, conflict, or deadlock.
Etymology: grid + lock
Wikipedia
Gridlock
Gridlock is a form of traffic congestion where "continuous queues of vehicles block an entire network of intersecting streets, bringing traffic in all directions to a complete standstill". The term originates from a situation possible in a grid plan where intersections are blocked, preventing vehicles from either moving forwards through the intersection or backing up to an upstream intersection. The term Gridlock is also used incorrectly to describe high traffic congestion with minimal flow (which is simply a traffic jam), where a blocked grid system is not involved. By extension, the term has been applied to situations in other fields where flow is stalled by excess demand, or in which competing interests prevent progress.
ChatGPT
gridlock
Gridlock is a situation where there is severe congestion or complete standstill due to the inability of the participants to progress or find a solution. This term is commonly used in the context of traffic to describe a situation where streets are blocked by cars, and it's also used in politics to refer to a situation where the government is unable to pass new laws or policies due to disagreement between political parties.
Wikidata
Gridlock
The term gridlock is defined as, "A state of severe road congestion arising when continuous queues of vehicles block an entire network of intersecting streets, bringing traffic in all directions to a complete standstill; a traffic jam of this kind." The term originates from a situation possible in a grid plan where intersections are blocked, preventing vehicles from either moving forwards through the intersection or backing up to an upstream intersection. The term gridlock is also widely used to describe high traffic congestion with minimal flow, whether or not a blocked grid system is involved. By extension, the term has been applied to situations in other fields where flow is stalled by excess demand, or in which competing interests prevent progress.
Matched Categories
Usage in printed sourcesFrom:
- [["1962","2"],["1963","1"],["1967","2"],["1969","3"],["1971","1"],["1972","3"],["1976","1"],["1978","2"],["1979","38"],["1980","4"],["1981","15"],["1982","60"],["1983","94"],["1984","171"],["1985","254"],["1986","454"],["1987","379"],["1988","735"],["1989","791"],["1990","1041"],["1991","1081"],["1992","1446"],["1993","2042"],["1994","3017"],["1995","3228"],["1996","3381"],["1997","2943"],["1998","4262"],["1999","3656"],["2000","3503"],["2001","4384"],["2002","4062"],["2003","4842"],["2004","4101"],["2005","4231"],["2006","4753"],["2007","4581"],["2008","5250"]]
Numerology
Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of gridlock in Chaldean Numerology is: 7
Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of gridlock in Pythagorean Numerology is: 7
Examples of gridlock in a Sentence
. ( AP Photo/Oded Balilty) With seeming boundless energy, the 70-year-old Netanyahu has taken to the airwaves and hit the campaign trail, presenting himself to adoring audiences as a global statesman uniquely qualified to lead the country through its many complicated challenges. In recent weeks, he jetted from the White House to Moscow to bring home a young Israeli woman jailed there on drug charges, and flew to Uganda for a meeting with a leader of Sudan, a longtime enemy country. We have turned Israel into a world power, a leader in cyber technology, natural gas, water, agriculture, technology, intelligence, Netanyahu boasted at a recent campaign stop. He claims credit for a strong economy and boasts of his close relationships with world leaders, first and foremost President Donald Trump, while deriding opponent Benny Gantz as a lightweight. In a message that has drawn accusations of racism, he also accuses Gantz of plotting with Arab lawmakers to oust him. In recent days, Netanyahu and his Netanyahus Likud surrogates spread unfounded allegations claiming his opponent is corrupt, unstable and susceptible to blackmail by Iran. Benny Gantz, CITES TWO ADVISERS WHO LIKENED President Donald Trump TO HITLER Being prime minister of Israel is a complicated thing, full of pressures 24 hours a day, Netanyahu added. I dont think Benny Gantz can handle it. Benny Gantz, a former military chief of staff, has focused Benny Gantz campaign on Netanyahus character, saying a man accused of serious crimes is unfit to lead. Benny Gantz has painted Netanyahu as an out-of-touch egomaniac obsessed with remaining in power and escaping justice, while portraying Benny Gantz as a moderate alternative to the polarizing prime minister. Netanyahu, look me in the eye. Because of your obsession with evading trial, youre lying, attacking, dividing, mudslinging, spreading malicious rumors and inciting. Netanyahu, youre poisoning Israel, Gantz said last week. Netanyahu, youve lost it, and youre unworthy of being prime minister for even a single day longer. Weekend polls, the last to be published before the vote, showed Gantzs Blue and White and Netanyahus Likud party in a tight race, though Gantzs party has shown some small signs of slippage over the past week. Even so, the polls forecast both parties and their smaller partners will again fall short of securing the 61-seat majority in parliament required to form a government. The easiest way out of the deadlock would be a unity government between the two parties, which together are expected to control a solid majority in the 120-seat parliament. But Benny Gantz says Benny Gantz will only form a partnership with Netanyahus Likud if Netanyahu steps down. Netanyahu says he must remain prime minister in any unity deal. The deadlock raised the possibility of a fourth election in quick succession. Turnout of key voting groups could end up deciding the race. Weather may play a role, along with fears of the new corona virus which so far has been kept largely in check. Israel set up some 15 stations to allow voting by the hundreds of Israelis who are in home-quarantine after possible exposure to the virus. The biggest obstacle may be voter fatigue. People are fed up. They think were doomed to another gridlock, so whats the point of voting ? said Guy Ben-Porat, chairman of the department of politics and government at Israels Ben-Gurion University. I think this is the decisive factor in turnout, but I cant tell on which side it will work more. Netanyahu has been charged with fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in a series of scandals in which he is accused of accepting lavish gifts from wealthy friends or exchanging favors with powerful media moguls. With his trial set to start March 17, he is desperate to remain in office. As prime minister, Netanyahu can use his position to rally public support and lash out at what he claims is a vast conspiracy by police, overzealous prosecutors and a hostile media to oust him. Israeli law allows a prime minister to remain in office even if charged with a crime, while requiring other public officials to resign once indicted. While another stalemate seems to be likely, the election could still deliver surprises. Late last week, the Justice Ministry said it would open an investigation into possible financial wrongdoing by a start-up security firm that Benny Gantz chaired after leaving the military. The late-hour announcement was blasted by Gantzs supporters as politically motivated, but its not clear if its had an impact on voters. The firm, which later went out of business, is believed to have won a lucrative police contract without going through a bidding process. Benny Gantz was not named as a suspect. If Netanyahu and his allies can somehow muster a majority, it would give him a new lifeline along with hopes of passing legislation to protect him from prosecution. Gantzs road to victory is even trickier. Cobbling together a coalition would likely rely on outside support from Arab-majority parties a politically unpopular choice that Benny Gantz has ruled out. It also would likely require the support of Avigdor Lieberman, a former Netanyahu ally. Avigdor Lieberman, a wily political operator who has long caused headaches for Netanyahu, has refused to commit to either candidate. But Avigdor Lieberman also has said Avigdor Lieberman will not allow a fourth consecutive election, raising speculation Avigdor Lieberman will ultimately side with Benny Gantz. Yohanan Plesner, president of the Israel Democracy Institute, Israel Democracy Institute, said that if the polls are accurate, the country could face many more months of gridlock unless someone compromises. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Its uncharted territory.
County Commission Chairman John Koenig:
October 1 refers to Las Vegas, the deadliest shooting in modern U.S. history. On Wednesday, county officials said they believe 1,000 to 3,000 people could potentially show up in the town of Amargosa Valley, which has a population of nearly 1,000 people. County Commission Chairman John Koenig laid out what could happen if a crowd that large ends up appearing inAmargosa. Nye County Commissioner Leo Blundo says if even 3,000 people show up to' Storm Area 51,' Nye County will put an enormous strain on the small town in Nevada. Be prepared not to have cell service, not to have Internet. There will probably be no water available, there will probably be no ice available because everything is going to sell out. There will probably be no gas left in the gas station, no food, nowhere to go potty, if youre coming, be prepared because its probably not going to be nice. STORM AREA 51 CRAZE CONTINUES AS 2M PEOPLE PLEDGE TO RAID SECRET GOVT MILITARY BASE He advised anyone planning to visit the area during the events should be prepared with food, water, and other essential items since those supplies will probably sell out very quickly. Authorities are also concerned about a massive influx of traffic that could lead to gridlock, stymying first responders and law enforcement if they are needed. County officials stressed they are worried that sources could get tied up with masses of people arriving on the lone highway in the area. Nye County commissioner Leo Blundo urged residents they should prepare by stocking up on food, water, gasoline, and prescription medication ahead of the weekend. Signs warn about trespassing at an entrance to the Nevada Test and Training Range near Area 51 outside of Rachel, Nev. ( AP Photo/John Locher, File) Cell phone service may also be impacted if thousands show up. Amargosa Town Board member Trevor Dolby told commissioners that cell phone towers in Amargosa Valley were not designed to support the thousands of people, according to FOX5. Whats scary is our 9-1-1 paging service goes through cell phones, Dolby said. CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX NEWS APP Earlier this month, neighboring Lincoln County drafted an emergency declaration but gave conditional approval for events in tiny towns near the once top-secret U.S. Air Force test area. that has long been a focus of UFO conspiracy theories. Alien-themed graffiti adorns a rock along the Extraterrestrial Highway, near Rachel, Nev. ( AP Photo/John Locher) TheLittle ALeInn in Rachelisscheduling an eventcalledAlienstockon Sept. 20-22, while The Alien Research Center souvenir shop in Hiko has planned a Sept. 20-21 expo. Those events in Hiko and Rachel would be about 100 miles from Amargosa Valley. Rachelswebsite says the nearest gas stations are located 50 miles south in Ash Springs and 110 miles north in Tonopah. Officials in two rural Nevada counties have signed a state of emergency declaration ahead of the' Storm Area 51' event ; William La Jeunesse reports.
If you apply conservative principles and you stick with it, and you have the leadership skills to bring people toward the cause, you can move the needle on these things, i reject the notion that we can't solve problems, that the gridlock is too enormous to forge consensus. It requires some creativity to get to a win for everybody.
Our proposal for a talking filibuster on these pieces of legislation would be the first step towards passing voting rights, restoring this body and breaking the gridlock that we now face on this vital issue.
New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu:
After decades of gridlock, court battles and uncertainty for our firefighters and for taxpayers, together we have solved this problem, hopefully once and for all.
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Translations for gridlock
From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary
- Stau, Verkehrskollaps, Verkehrsinfarkt, StillstandGerman
- atasco, embotellamiento, paralizaciónSpanish
- liikennesuma, tukos, sumaFinnish
- embouteillage, impasseFrench
- խցանում, մեռյալ կետ, փակուղի, խռնվածք, կուտակականգArmenian
- ingorgoItalian
- 雑沓, 雑踏, 渋滞, 停滞, 交通渋滞Japanese
- kork, kø, trafikkorkNorwegian
- verkeersinfarct, verkeerschaosDutch
- blokadaPolish
- engarrafamento, bloqueio, impassePortuguese
- тупик, мёртвая точка, пробка, застой, заторRussian
- กริดล็อคThai
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"gridlock." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2025. Web. 22 Feb. 2025. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/gridlock>.
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