lockup

noun

lock·​up ˈläk-ˌəp How to pronounce lockup (audio)
Synonyms of lockupnext
1
: jail
especially : a local jail where persons are detained prior to court hearing
2
: an act of locking : the state of being locked

Synonyms of lockup

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Examples of lockup in a Sentence

the firm conviction that juvenile offenders should never be held in adult lockups
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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
When fully deployed, the titanium lockbar moves directly behind the blade tang to establish lockup. — New Atlas, 3 Sep. 2026 Companies, remembering the worker shortages that followed the end of COVID-19 lockups, are still reluctant to let go of staff. — Paul Wiseman, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026 Mangione remains in pretrial lockup at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. — Ben Brachfeld, PEOPLE, 14 Aug. 2026 That dynamic changed substantially last Thursday, when just over 911 million SpaceX shares became eligible for trading following the expiration of an initial lockup period. — Yun Li, CNBC, 12 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for lockup

Word History

First Known Use

1746, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of lockup was in 1746

Rhymes for lockup

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Browse Nearby Words

lock turtle
lockup
lock washer
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Cite this Entry

“Lockup.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lockup. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

Legal Definition

lockup

noun
lock·​up
1
: a cell or group of cells (as in a courthouse) or jail where persons are held prior to a court hearing compare house of correction, house of detention, jail, penitentiary, prison
2
: the tactic of arranging with a friendly party an option to buy a valuable portion of one's corporate assets in order to discourage a takeover by another party
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