dead-end

1 of 3

adjective

1
a
: lacking opportunities especially for advancement
a dead-end job
b
: lacking an exit
a dead-end street
2
: unruly
dead-end kids
dead-endedness noun

dead-end

2 of 3

verb

dead-ended; dead-ending; dead-ends

intransitive verb

: to come to a dead end : terminate
the road dead-ends at the lake
the investigation dead-ended

dead end

3 of 3

noun

1
: an end (as of a street) without an exit
2
: a position, situation, or course of action that leads to nothing further

Examples of dead-end in a Sentence

Verb after several fruitless years, the research seems to have simply dead-ended Noun We came to a dead end and had to turn around. My career has hit a dead end.
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Adjective
The bits with Julia and Randall were better than the other dead-end scenes. Erik Kain, Forbes, 2 Nov. 2024 Deadheading is a dead-end In 2022, Americans spent 8.5 billion hours stuck in traffic wasting over 3 billion gallons of fuel, according to the latest Texas Transportation Institute Urban Mobility Report. Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 31 Oct. 2024
Verb
Where any normal car would need a three-point turn (down yet another dead-end Camden side street, for instance), the taxi simply spins around and goes. Tim Pitt, Robb Report, 15 Mar. 2023 Commissioner Andrew Brink said without a street connection to the east, the roundabout effectively will dead-end within the development. Stacy Ryburn, Arkansas Online, 14 Mar. 2023
Noun
Drill rap is a dead end that artists no longer need to go down. Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 26 Oct. 2024 Mapping out the future, Brandy realized that her job was a dead end; if Wesley’s music career didn’t work out, they’d be broke. Cheryl Robinson, Forbes, 17 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for dead-end 

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1919, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1944, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1886, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dead-end was in 1886

Dictionary Entries Near dead-end

Cite this Entry

“Dead-end.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dead-end. Accessed 7 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

dead-end

1 of 2 adjective
ˌded-ˌend
1
a
: having no opportunities for advancement
a dead-end job
b
: lacking an exit
dead-end street
2
: unruly
dead-end kids

dead end

2 of 2 noun
: an end (as of a street) without an exit

More from Merriam-Webster on dead-end

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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