gridlocked

/ˈɡrɪdlɒkt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈɡrɪdlɑːkt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈgrid-ˌläkt/ (ame, mw)

gridlocked — adjective

  • gridlockedpositive
  • more gridlockedcomparative
  • most gridlockedsuperlative

1. describes a road or area where the cars, buses, and trucks are packed so tightly

1.形容詞B2
釋義

describes a road or area where the cars, buses, and trucks are packed so tightly that almost nothing can move at all.

例句

By 6 p.m., the entire city center was gridlocked with rush-hour traffic.

be + gridlocked + with [traffic/cars]

Mei-Lin waited in her car; the highway was gridlocked after the accident.

同義詞
  • jammed

    less formal, often used for a single road

  • clogged

    suggests gradual buildup rather than total standstill

  • bumper-to-bumper

    informal, describes vehicles lined up without gaps

  • blocked

    simpler and more general; can apply to any obstruction

反義詞

文法句型

be/become/get gridlocked

gridlocked + noun (street, highway, intersection)

用法筆記

Frequently used with 'become', 'get', or 'leave + object'. The attributive use (a gridlocked street) is common in news reports and traffic updates.

常見錯誤

❌The car is gridlocked.
✅The street is gridlocked.
💡Gridlocked describes the road or area, not an individual vehicle.
❌I am gridlocked in traffic.
✅I am stuck in gridlocked traffic.
💡The person is not gridlocked; the road/traffic is.

2. describes a situation where two opposing sides block each other so completely th

2.形容詞C1
釋義

describes a situation where two opposing sides block each other so completely that no decision or action can happen — for example, a government that cannot pass laws because parties refuse to work together.

例句

The parliament remained gridlocked for weeks because neither party would compromise on the budget.

remain + gridlocked + duration (for weeks/months)

Elena's team became gridlocked over whether to launch the product early or delay it.

同義詞
  • deadlocked

    nearly interchangeable; slightly more common in legal/political writing

  • stalled

    temporary pause; suggests movement may resume

  • paralyzed

    stronger emotional tone; suggests helplessness

  • stuck

    informal, very general

反義詞

文法句型

be/become gridlocked

gridlocked + noun (government, negotiations, system)

用法筆記

Predominantly used in political and organizational contexts. Unlike sense 1 (traffic), this sense does not describe physical movement — it describes a process that has stopped. Distinguish from 'stalled,' which suggests a temporary pause rather than a deadlock.

常見錯誤

❌The meeting was gridlocked because we ran out of coffee.
✅The meeting was gridlocked because the board members could not agree on the budget.
💡Gridlocked describes a serious impasse, not a minor inconvenience.