cul-de-sac
Road without exit
A cul-de-sac is a street closed at one end, typically with a rounded turnaround area.
The term comes from French meaning "bottom of the bag"—a dead end.
Cul-de-sacs are common in suburban developments, prized for low traffic and child safety: We live on a quiet cul-de-sac.
Figuratively, a cul-de-sac is any situation with no way forward: The negotiations had reached a cul-de-sac.
Passage without outlet
- no outletRoad with blocked passage
- turnaroundShift in opposite direction
- terminusFinal destination point
- impasseSituation without resolution
barrier · blockage · no through road · stopping point · end point · no exit
Nearby or to shut
- courtTrial venue or sports surface
- circleCurved closed shape
- laneDesignated travel strip
- placePosition or location
drive · crescent · way · terrace · mews · loop · turning circle · bulb
Residential area nearby
- subdivisionPortion of something larger
- housingDwellings or protective covering
- developmentProgress toward maturity
- suburbanOf residential outskirts
family-friendly · quiet · homes · driveways · garages · sidewalks · community · streetscape
dead end
Passage without outlet
- no outletRoad with blocked passage
- turnaroundShift in opposite direction
- terminusFinal destination point
impasse · barrier · blockage · no through road · stopping point · end point · no exit
close
Nearby or to shut
place · drive · crescent · way · terrace · mews · loop · turning circle · bulb · hammerhead
neighborhood
Residential area nearby
- subdivisionPortion of something larger
- housingDwellings or protective covering
- developmentProgress toward maturity
suburban · family-friendly · quiet · homes · driveways · garages · sidewalks · community · streetscape · planned
private
Restricted to certain parties
safe · retreat · tucked away · hidden · peaceful · sanctuary · protected · removed · insulated · exclusive
- street designcrosswalk, sidewalk, curb, median, roundabout
- French Loanwordsa la carte, ballet, a la mode, au revoir, bon appetit
- listing lingofixer-upper, handyman special, starter home, move-in ready, priced to sell
- local placesneighborhood, suburb, village, borough, township
- neighborhoodsidewalk, neighbor, residential area, neighbors, streets
- road featurescurve, bend, straightaway, stretch, junction
cul-de-sacthoroughfare
Main public road
arterial road · main road · highway · boulevard · freeway
cul-de-sacopen road
Unobstructed route ahead
thoroughfare · escape route · exit · outlet · passage
sack, sacking, sacked, sacks, sac, blind alley, dead-end, dead-ends, cul-de-sacs