lockstep

noun

lock·​step ˈläk-ˌstep How to pronounce lockstep (audio)
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
Phrases
in lockstep
: in perfect or rigid often mindless conformity or unison
politicians marching in lockstep with the party line

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 Suddenly, the mayor and the council majority, both elected with the heavy political backing of the city’s most-powerful labor unions, were in lockstep. East Bay Times Editorial, The Mercury News, 12 Oct. 2024 Over the last 5 years, the yields on 10 year Treasury bonds moved in lockstep with Federal Reserve interest rate targets. George Calhoun, Forbes, 7 Oct. 2024 The company and the live-music industry grew in lockstep through the aughts; as record sales plummeted due to rampant piracy in the digital age, artists turned to touring to make up the losses. Ethan Millman, Rolling Stone, 30 Sep. 2024 All the while, Robinson had been in lockstep with his party’s leader and former President Donald Trump. Savannah Kuchar, USA TODAY, 25 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for lockstep 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lockstep.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1787, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of lockstep was in 1787

Dictionary Entries Near lockstep

Cite this Entry

“Lockstep.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lockstep. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

lockstep

noun
lock·​step -ˌstep How to pronounce lockstep (audio)
: a way of marching in step in which the marchers are very close one behind the other
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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