What does "Dead-end job" mean?

A job with no prospects for advancement A job that offers no opportunity for career progression or advancement.

How do you use "Dead-end job" in a sentence?

Stuck in a dead-end job. Time to leave this dead-end job. Not another dead-end job. It's a dead-end job.

Dead-end job

Slang Term AmericanBritishAustralian ★★★★★ Very Common Casual

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Meaning: A job with no prospects for advancement

没有晋升前景的工作

Un trabajo sin perspectivas de avance

昇進の見込みがない仕事

승진 가능성이 없는 일

A job that offers no opportunity for career progression or advancement.

没有职业发展或晋升机会的工作。

Un trabajo que no ofrece oportunidades de progreso o ascenso profesional.

キャリアアップや昇進の機会がない仕事。

경력 발전이나 승진의 기회가 없는 직업.

Examples

Stuck in a dead-end job.
困在一份没有前途的工作里
Atrapado en un trabajo sin futuro
将来性のない仕事に行き詰まっている
장래성 없는 직장에 갇혀 있어
Time to leave this dead-end job.
是时候离开这份没前途的工作了
Hora de dejar este trabajo sin salida
この行き止まりの仕事を辞める時だ
이 막다른 직장을 떠날 때가 됐어
Not another dead-end job.
别再是一份没前途的工作
No otro trabajo sin futuro
また将来性のない仕事はごめんだ
또 장래성 없는 직장은 싫어
It's a dead-end job.
这是份没前途的工作
Es un trabajo sin salida
将来性のない仕事だ
장래성 없는 직장이야

Pronunciation

/ded end dʒɒb/

Usage Guide

Context: career, employment, frustration

Tone: negative, frustrated

✓ Do Say

Dead-end job.
没有前途的工作。
Trabajo sin futuro.
先のない仕事。
막다른 직업.
Dead-end.
死胡同。
Sin salida.
行き止まり。
막다른 길.
A dead end.
死胡同。
Un callejón sin salida.
行き止まりだ。
막다른 길이야.

✗ Don't Say

Always negative
总是负面的
Siempre negativo
常にネガティブな意味
항상 부정적인 뉘앙스
Universal expression
通用表达
Expresión universal
世界共通の表現
보편적으로 사용되는 표현

Common Mistakes

Always negative connotation
Universal English

Origin & History

From dead-end streets going nowhere, applied to careers.

Etymology: From dead-end (going nowhere)

First recorded: American expression from 20th century

Cultural Context

Era: 20th century onwards

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Pop culture: Career advice; Working-class narratives

Regional notes: Universal across English-speaking countries.

Variations

Dead-end jobDead endGoing nowhere