lockstep

noun

lock·​step ˈläk-ˌstep 

often attributive

1

: a mode of marching in step by a body of persons going one after another as closely as possible

2

: a standard method or procedure that is mindlessly adhered to or that minimizes individuality

see also:

in lockstep

Synonyms of lockstep

• routine
• grind

Examples of lockstep in a Sentence

followed the lockstep that had been in his family for generations: prep school, Ivy League university, job on Wall Street

Recent Examples on the Web

That doesn't mean gold prices move in perfect lockstep with inflation, but the broader pattern tends to hold. —Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 10 Apr. 2026

Others aren’t so sure, pointing to the long hiatus, the off-screen turmoil and a television landscape that no longer moves in lockstep. —Precious Fondren, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026

The dollar and oil are trading in lockstep in the wake of the US-Iran ceasefire this week, tightening the relationship between them to near-record levels. —Anya Andrianova, Bloomberg, 9 Apr. 2026

Their job was to notice everyone marching in lockstep and break the spell. —Robert Lynch, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1787, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing lockstep

• in lockstep

Rhymes for lockstep

• bicep
• doorstep
• footstep
• instep
• misstep
• sidestep
• cep
• hep
• pep
• prep
• rep
• sep

Kids Definition

lockstep

noun

lock·​step -ˌstep 

: a way of marching in step in which the marchers are very close one behind the other