logjam
Stuck timber mass
A logjam is an accumulation of logs blocking a river, preventing passage.
The word extends to any impasse or standstill caused by competing or accumulated obstacles: a logjam of legislation in Congress, traffic logjams during rush hour.
To break a logjam is to resolve what's blocking progress.
Mutual blocking, no progress
- standstillTotal cessation of movement
- stalemateMutual obstruction preventing progress
- gridlockComplete mutual obstruction
- standoffUnresolved confrontation between opponents
paralysis · breakdown · halt · freeze · quagmire · bottleneck · roadblock · stuck
Excessive accumulation causing blockage
- backupStored duplicate for recovery
- bottleneckConstriction limiting throughput
- snarlHostile vocal threat
- tailbackCongested vehicle queue
bumper-to-bumper · rush-hour · gridlock · standstill · chokepoint · pileup · highway · commute
Water-holding barrier
- beaverDam-constructing aquatic rodent
- timberWood for construction
- streamSteady continuous flow
- rapidsTurbulent river section
current · channel · float · sawmill · lumber · debris · pileup · downstream
deadlock
Mutual blocking, no progress
- standstillTotal cessation of movement
- stalemateMutual obstruction preventing progress
- gridlockComplete mutual obstruction
standoff · paralysis · breakdown · halt · freeze · quagmire · bottleneck · roadblock · stuck · negotiation
congestion
Excessive accumulation causing blockage
- backupStored duplicate for recovery
- bottleneckConstriction limiting throughput
- snarlHostile vocal threat
tailback · bumper-to-bumper · rush-hour · gridlock · standstill · chokepoint · pileup · highway · commute · interstate
dam
Water-holding barrier
rapids · current · channel · float · sawmill · lumber · debris · pileup · downstream · upstream
accumulation
Collected mass over time
caseload · paperwork · pending · processing · delay · clearance · overwhelmed · swamped · inundated · applications
- blockagesblockage, dam, clog, congestion, drain clog
- delaysdelays, delay, delayed, postponement, postpone
- impassesimpasse, deadlock, stalemate, standstill, gridlock
- interferenceinterfering, meddling, intruding, butting in, obstructing
- Negotiation Termsdeadlock, bargaining, negotiation, stalemate, compromise
- obstructblock, halt, stop, impede, hinder
logjamfree flow
Unhindered continuous movement
smooth sailing · clear path · fluidity · circulation · throughput
logjambreakthrough
Sudden important advance
resolution · progress · momentum · headway · advancement
logjamfree flow
Unhindered continuous movement
open channel · breakthrough · free-flowing · clearance · fluidity