# break the deadlock

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/break-the-deadlock
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To score the first goal or point in a competition.

## Examples

- The striker scored to break the deadlock.
- After a long period of scoreless play, the captain finally managed to break the deadlock with a powerful shot.
- The tension in the stadium was palpable until the home team finally broke the deadlock in the final minutes of the match.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.