dead-end vs dim

dead-end

• Going nowhere; blocked. 

• A road with no exit. 

• A position that offers no hope of progress. 

• To come to a dead-end. 

dim

• Indistinct, hazy or unclear. 

• Not bright or colorful. 

• Not smart or intelligent. 

• Disapproving, unfavorable: rarely used outside the phrase take a dim view of. 

• To render dim, obscure, or dark; to make less bright or distinct 

• To make something less bright. 

• To deprive of distinct vision; to hinder from seeing clearly, either by dazzling or clouding the eyes; to darken the senses or understanding of. 

• To become darker.