cul-de-sac

/ˈkʌl də sæk/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈkʌl də sæk/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈkəl-di-ˌsak ˈku̇l-; ˌkəl-di-ˈsak, ˌku̇l-/ (ame, mw)

cul-de-sac — noun

1. a small street where cars can only enter and leave from one end, with the other

1.名詞C1
釋義

a small street where cars can only enter and leave from one end, with the other end closed off, often making it a quiet area for houses

例句

Noor bought a small house on a quiet cul-de-sac at the edge of town.

common location pattern: on a + cul-de-sac

Children rode bicycles safely in the cul-de-sac because no cars came through.

in + cul-de-sac for events happening inside it

同義詞
  • dead end

    everyday word; can describe any blocked street, not only residential

  • blind alley

    narrower passage between buildings; can be applied to walkways, not only roads

  • no through road

    British road-sign phrase; more formal and used for any non-through street

反義詞

文法句型

a cul-de-sac

at the end of the cul-de-sac

用法筆記

Subject is typically a residential street; the word implies a short, closed road, so phrases like 'long cul-de-sac' are unusual. Often paired with 'quiet', 'leafy', or 'residential'.

常見錯誤

❌She drove through the cul-de-sac to the next street.
✅She drove into the cul-de-sac and turned around.
💡a cul-de-sac is closed at one end, so you cannot drive through it.

2. a state of affairs, plan, or line of thinking that cannot move forward and offer

2.名詞C1
釋義

a state of affairs, plan, or line of thinking that cannot move forward and offers no useful result, like a road with no exit

例句

After three rounds of failed talks, the peace negotiations reached a complete cul-de-sac.

reach a cul-de-sac for negotiations or projects

Élise felt her research had hit a cul-de-sac after the main experiment failed.

hit a cul-de-sac for individual progress

同義詞
  • dead end

    more informal; same figurative meaning

  • impasse

    more formal; emphasizes a deadlock between two sides

  • stalemate

    from chess; both sides blocked, often used of negotiations

反義詞

文法句型

a cul-de-sac

in a cul-de-sac

reach a cul-de-sac

用法筆記

More formal than sense 1; often appears in news, business, or academic writing about plans, talks, or ideas. Distinguish from sense 1 by context — sense 1 is a physical street, sense 2 always describes an abstract situation.

常見錯誤

❌The project finished in a cul-de-sac on schedule.
✅The project reached a cul-de-sac and was abandoned.
💡sense 2 implies failure or being stuck, not a normal ending.