- 1[singular, uncountable] a complete failure to reach agreement or settle an argument synonym stalemate European agriculture ministers failed to break the deadlock over farm subsidies. (British English) The strike appeared to have reached deadlock. (North American English, British English) The strike has reached a deadlock. Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivepolitical verb + deadlockreach, break, end, … prepositionin deadlock, deadlock between, deadlock in, … phrasesend in deadlock, end in a deadlock See full entry
- 2(British English) (also deadbolt North American English, British English) [countable] a type of lock on a door that needs a key to open or close it Extra examples The government has called new talks in an attempt to break the deadlock over the issue of redundancy money. The negotiations ended in (a) deadlock. The negotiations were adjourned in deadlock last week. The strike appeared to have reached a deadlock. The summit called for an end to the deadlock in the peace talks. The two were in a deadlock. an attempt to break the deadlock over the issue of pay the deadlock between striking workers and their employer
Check pronunciation: deadlock
