gridlocking
Mutual movement prevention
Gridlocking is the act of causing or experiencing gridlock—traffic so congested that vehicles cannot move in any direction.
The term extends to any situation where competing interests create mutual obstruction: Congressional gridlocking has stalled the budget.
To gridlock a system is to jam it completely, leaving no path forward.
Excessive accumulation causing blockage
- standstillTotal cessation of movement
- bottleneckConstriction limiting throughput
- jamCooked fruit spread
- stallingIntentional delay tactics
intersection · deadlock · backup · rush hour · commute · bumper-to-bumper · snarl · logjam
Delaying tactic through speech
- obstructionSomething blocking the way
- stalemateMutual obstruction preventing progress
- impasseSituation without resolution
- partisanBiased toward one side
legislature · parliament · veto · deadlock · bipartisan · dysfunction · polarization · stonewalling
Impeding forward progress
- maneuveringSkillful directional control
- positioningArranging in specific locations
- checkmateInescapable capture position
- stalemateMutual obstruction preventing progress
tactical · defensive · offensive · outflanking · cornering · trapping · containment · encirclement
congestion
Excessive accumulation causing blockage
- standstillTotal cessation of movement
- bottleneckConstriction limiting throughput
- jamCooked fruit spread
stalling · intersection · deadlock · backup · rush hour · commute · bumper-to-bumper · snarl · logjam · tailback
filibuster
Delaying tactic through speech
- obstructionSomething blocking the way
- stalemateMutual obstruction preventing progress
- impasseSituation without resolution
partisan · legislature · parliament · veto · deadlock · bipartisan · dysfunction · polarization · stonewalling · bureaucracy
blocking
Impeding forward progress
- maneuveringSkillful directional control
- positioningArranging in specific locations
- checkmateInescapable capture position
stalemate · tactical · defensive · offensive · outflanking · cornering · trapping · containment · encirclement · neutralizing
- crowdingcrowding, gathering, clustering, bunching, congregating
gridlockingflowing freely
free-flowing · cruising · gliding · streaming · uncongested
gridlockingprogressing
Moving toward completion
advancing · cooperating · compromising · breaking through · resolving
gridlockingfreeing up
Making accessible or available
clearing · unblocking · facilitating · enabling · expediting