Impasse VS Cul de sac

Question

- Just go straight ahead about 50 meters, then turn left, you will see a ( blind alley / cul de sac / dead-end street / an impasse ).- Which word is the most common?Thank you very much!  Stevenukd

AlpheccaStars · Accepted Answer

The following comments are for American English. British English might use these same terms with different meanings.
We use impasse a situation in which no progress can be made or no advancement is possible; "reached an impasse on the negotiations" I have not seen it used very much in the US for a road.
A cul-de-sac is a street that ends in a circle. Houses are arranged around the circle. Often, posh neighborhoods have cul-de-sacs, and it is where the most expensive houses are located.
A dead-end street is a straight street (with houses on both sides) that ends in a traffic barrier. Often a sign "dead end" or "no outlet" is at the last possible entry point.
An alley is a road behind houses or buildings. Ususally alleys are narrow, unkept, and ugly (used for garbage pick-up or entry to garages). A blind alley is an alley with only one entrance (like a dead end street). Usually alleys are too narrow to turn around in, so the only way out is to back up.

Avangi · Answer

"Impasse" would be appropriate if a road were totally and unexpectedly blocked by a landslide or avalanche, or flood, or the washing out of a bridge; and no detour were available. The route would be impassable / impassible. We have reached an impasse.

AlpheccaStars · Answer

Oh yes, we do use imapsse for that situation. But it is from a natural accident. the road is not designed to be an impasse.

Impasse VS Cul de sac

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