blind alley

noun
1.
a road, alley, etc., that is open at only one end.
2.
a position or situation offering no hope of progress or improvement:
That line of reasoning will only lead you up another blind alley.
Origin
1575-85
Examples from the web for blind alley
  • Whether scientists have faith or not is a bit of a blind alley.
  • Too often that mistake has led us up the blind alley of advocacy.
  • Three decades of wishful thinking and building space ambitions on an inadequate funding basis has led us into a blind alley.
British Dictionary definitions for blind alley

blind alley

noun
1.
an alley open at one end only; cul-de-sac
2.
(informal) a situation in which no further progress can be made
Idioms and Phrases with blind alley

blind alley

A dead end; a position without hope of progress or success. For example, That line of questioning led the attorney up yet another blind alley. This term alludes to a street or alley that has no outlet at one end. [ Mid-1800s ]