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-ended; dead-ending; dead-ends
: to come to a dead end : terminate
the road dead-ends at the lake
the investigation dead-ended
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
Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 2 Apr. 2025
In 2008, investigators faced another dead-end lead.
—Alex Gurley, People.com, 1 Apr. 2025
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
Hans Nichols, Axios, 28 Feb. 2025
Ocalan must convince his organization that armed militancy is a dead end after the regime change in Syria.
—Halil Karaveli, Foreign Affairs, 3 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dead-end
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Adjective
Hutcherson is back as Mike, the security guard who was trapped in a literal dead-end job at a Chuck E. Cheese-esque arcade and restaurant with five haunted animatronics, including Freddy Fazbear, Bonnie the Rabbit, Foxy the Pirate, Chica the Chicken, and Carl the Cupcake.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 2 Apr. 2025
In 2008, investigators faced another dead-end lead.
—Alex Gurley, People.com, 1 Apr. 2025
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
One of the top reasons the top-line talks have stalled is because discussions with Republicans about adding language for guardrails around Trump and Musk to the funding deal have hit a dead end.
—Hans Nichols, Axios, 28 Feb. 2025
Ocalan must convince his organization that armed militancy is a dead end after the regime change in Syria.
—Halil Karaveli, Foreign Affairs, 3 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dead-end
Cite this Entry
“Dead-end.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dead-end. Accessed 10 Apr. 2025.
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