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Deadlock vs Gridlock - What's the difference?

deadlock | gridlock |

As nouns the difference between deadlock and gridlock

is that deadlock is a standstill resulting from the opposition of two evenly matched forces; a stalemate or impasse while gridlock is a condition of total, interlocking traffic congestion on the streets or highways of a crowded city, in which no one can move because everyone is in someone else's way.

As a verb deadlock

is to cause or to come to a deadlock.

deadlock

English

Noun

(wikipedia deadlock) (en noun)
  • A standstill resulting from the opposition of two evenly matched forces; a stalemate or impasse
  • (computing) An inability to continue due to two programs or devices each requiring a response from the other before completing an operation

    • Derived terms

    * break the deadlock

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • to cause or to come to a deadlock
    • ----

    gridlock

    English

    (wikipedia gridlock)

    Noun

    (head)
  • A condition of total, interlocking traffic congestion on the streets or highways of a crowded city, in which no one can move because everyone is in someone else's way.
  • On a smaller scale: the situation in which cars enter a signal-controlled intersection too late during the green light cycle, and are unable to clear the intersection (due to congestion in the next block) when the light turns red, thus blocking the cross traffic when it's their turn to go. Repeated at enough intersections, this phenomenon can lead to citywide gridlock.
  • Figuratively and by extension, any paralysis of a complex system due to severe congestion, conflict, or deadlock.

    • See also

    * deadlock