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International Relations & Diplomacy vocabulary · Negotiation & Summit Language

Deadlock

Meaning in international relations & diplomacy, with examples

/ˈdedlɒk/nounCommon term

In international relations & diplomacy, deadlock means: A situation in which the parties cannot agree and no progress is possible because neither side is willing to change its position.

In Turkish: çıkmaz, kilitlenme, tıkanma

How it is used

Talks 'reach', 'end in' or 'remain in' deadlock, and a mediator tries to 'break the deadlock'. The adjective is 'deadlocked'. Near synonyms are stalemate (also used for military situations), impasse and standstill.

Example sentences

  1. The negotiations have been in deadlock since March.

  2. A new proposal from the chair helped break the deadlock.

  3. The committee remained deadlocked over the budget.

Common collocations

  • break the deadlock
  • end in deadlock
  • political deadlock
  • reach a deadlock
  • deadlocked talks
  • breakthroughAn important step forward in negotiations or talks, especially after a long period without progress.
  • talksFormal discussions between governments or groups, usually to solve a problem or reach an agreement; in this meaning the word is always plural.
  • compromiseAn agreement in which each side gives up part of what it wanted so that both can accept the result; the same word is a verb meaning to reach such an agreement.
  • mediationAn effort by a neutral third party, such as a state, organisation or individual, to help the sides in a dispute reach an agreement without imposing a solution.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Negotiation & Summit Language

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