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View synonyms for dead end

dead end

1

noun

  1. something, as a street or water pipe, that has no exit.
  2. a position that offers no hope of progress; blind alley; cul-de-sac:

    His theory led him to a dead end.



dead-end

2

[ ded-end ]

adjective

  1. terminating in a dead end:

    a dead-end street.

  2. Also dead-ended. having no possibility for or hope of progress, advancement, etc.:

    a low-level, dead-end job.

  3. leading a life in the slums:

    growing up as a tough dead-end kid.

verb (used without object)

  1. to come to a dead end:

    The road dead-ends at the lake.

dead end

noun

  1. another name for cul-de-sac
  2. a situation in which further progress is impossible
  3. dead-end ( as modifier )

    a dead-end street

    a dead-end job

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. intr to come to a dead end
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Word History and Origins

Origin of dead end1

First recorded in 1885–90

Origin of dead end2

First recorded in 1885–90
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Example Sentences

Instead, it's more about working hard while understanding that reaching your goals takes time, and it's important to stay tuned into what others are looking for so that you're not hustling toward a dead end.

From Salon

I initially faced dead end after dead end.

From BBC

They chased down leads but hit dead ends, and eventually the case turned cold.

"Opera and classical music as a whole seemed to hit a kind of dead end with music that was too academic and not able to strike a chord emotionally or intellectually," he told Salon.

From Salon

If you encounter a cliff, for instance, it’s likely not a dead end.

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