How to pronounce gridlock
Say it like GRID-lok. Gridlock has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (GRID).
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Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce gridlock. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
US American/ˈɡrɪdˌlɑk/GRID-lok
UK British/ˈɡrɪdˌlɒk/GRID-lok
- GRID
- lok
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Gridlock pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- GRIDSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- lokGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
American vs British pronunciation of gridlock
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: GRID-lok.
What does gridlock mean?
noun
- 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
- Any paralysis of a complex system due to severe congestion, conflict, or deadlock.
- To cause traffic congestion.
Where does gridlock come from?
From grid + lock.
Questions about saying gridlock
How do you pronounce gridlock?
Say GRID-lok. The American pronunciation is /ˈɡrɪdˌlɑk/. In British English it is /ˈɡrɪdˌlɒk/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in gridlock?
Gridlock has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (GRID). Broken into parts: GRID · lok.
Is gridlock pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English. The British form is /ˈɡrɪdˌlɒk/ (GRID-lok).