Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun An immovable mass of floating logs crowded together.
  • noun A deadlock, as in negotiations; an impasse.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun lumber industry An excess of logs being conveyed on a river, so that their motion halts.
  • noun figuratively A clog or such jam or mess that halts or greatly delays progress.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun an immovable mass of logs blocking a river
  • noun any stoppage attributable to unusual activity

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From log + jam.

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word logjam.

Examples

  • This logjam is caused by an inferior computer system that increases the time-per-claim processing time.

    Copyright foul-ups jam US copyright office 2009

  • Unless the logjam is broken, starting with health care reform, where the threat of a filibuster has ground Democrats 'efforts to a near halt, a scenario exists where Obama would seek re-election in 2012 by running against Republicans and a do-nothing Senate where Democrats are in the majority.

    60 is the loneliest number for Obama 2010

  • The only way out of this logjam is more funding - and that's not going to happen.

    Science to Suffer at NASA Nick Anthis 2006

  • So, fixing a short-term logjam by sending Saunders to the minors -- undoubtedly the plan when spring training ended -- won't be so easy if he's producing.

    The Seattle Times 2011

  • Daniella Zalcman for The Wall Street Journal Principal Shelly Listokin, broker David Schechtman and principal Stan Listokin on the roof of 20 Henry St. Now the logjam is breaking.

    Investors Restart Once-Stalled Developments Craig Karmin 2010

  • The logjam is the latest demonstration of how hard it is for Congress to resist picking a political fight—even over the need to keep the government operating and the desire to avoid raising taxes amid a weak economy.

    Payroll-Tax Fight Stands in Way of Year-End Budget Bill Janet Hook 2011

  • The long-awaited deal could break a logjam that had threatened to derail the administration's trade agenda for the year, potentially clearing the way for passage of pacts with South Korea and Panama that had been held over from the Bush administration.

    U.S. Closes In on Trade Deal With Colombia Tom Barkley 2011

  • The logjam is a sign of how strongly the financial crisis still looms as regulators work to implement the Dodd-Frank financial-overhaul law passed last summer.

    Two Banks Lose in Foreclosure Cases Robbie Whelan 2011

  • But then-prime minister Naoto Kan dropped the idea at the last minute to break a logjam on unrelated legislation.

    Japan Moves Toward Easing Military Exports Ban Jacob M. Schlesinger 2011

  • One reason for the easing in the logjam was the Senate's traditional desire to dispense with blocs of nominees shortly before adjourning for recess, which the Senate did in the early hours of Friday morning.

    Federal Posts Fill Up Amid Senate Thaw Naftali Bendavid 2011

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.