What does deadlocking mean?
Deadlocking refers to the act or condition of arriving at a deadlock — a point at which competing sides are so evenly balanced, or so firmly opposed, that no further progress can be made. It arises most often in discussions of diplomacy, legislation, labor negotiations, and litigation, where prolonged deadlocking signals frustration, wasted effort, and the need for compromise or third-party intervention. The word derives from "deadlock," itself formed from "dead" (utter, absolute) plus "lock" (a fastening), suggesting a mechanism jammed beyond release. In modern usage, deadlocking has taken on a second life in computer science, where it names the frustrating state in which two or more processes each hold resources the other needs, freezing the system entirely. Whether applied to parliaments or processors, the term conveys paralysis: movement without motion, effort without outcome. Its vivid mechanical metaphor has made it a durable fixture of English vocabulary.
The action or state of reaching a deadlock; a standstill caused by mutually blocking opposition.
"The treaty talks collapsed after weeks of deadlocking over border provisions."
Most commonly encountered as a gerund in journalistic and formal writing about negotiations.
Present participle of deadlock: to bring or come to a complete stop through mutual obstruction.
"The rival factions kept deadlocking every attempt to pass the budget."
In computer science, a deadlock was famously illustrated in 1971 with five philosophers and five forks — and no one can ever eat.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of deadlocking
Deadlocking derives from the verb "deadlock," a compound of "dead" and "lock" attested in English from around the late eighteenth century. Originally it described a type of lock mechanism, then came to mean a complete standstill between opposing forces, likely influenced by the sporting term "dead heat." The gerund "deadlocking" follows regular English verb morphology and shares its Germanic roots with common words such as "lock" and "dead."
Related word forms
How deadlocking is actually used
"Deadlocking" functions chiefly as a gerund derived from the verb "deadlock." It appears most often in political and business contexts describing negotiations, and in technical computing literature. It carries a neutral-to-negative connotation, implying wasted time and unresolved conflict.
Easily confused with deadlocking
A deadline is a time limit by which something must be completed, whereas deadlocking describes becoming stuck in an unresolved standoff.