as in to jail
to put in or as if in prison
if they catch you, they're going to lock you up and throw away the key!
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in jail
a place of confinement for persons held in lawful custody
the firm conviction that juvenile offenders should never be held in adult lockups
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lock (up)
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
20 June 2026
The Cook County state’s attorney’s office approved first-degree murder charges against Jamison, according to police, and he was set to be transferred to the Cook County sheriff’s lockup at the Markham courthouse.
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Evy Lewis,
Chicago Tribune,
19 June 2026
That demand, combined with its low float — as lockups keep insiders from selling shares for months — could put upward pressure on SpaceX shares.
—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
18 June 2026
In October, his children made heartfelt pleas to a New York federal judge to see their father released from federal lockup after more than a year of incarceration.
—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for lock (up)
Noun
Analysts are predicting volatility for the stock as lockup periods end and people sell shares.
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Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
20 June 2026
The Cook County state’s attorney’s office approved first-degree murder charges against Jamison, according to police, and he was set to be transferred to the Cook County sheriff’s lockup at the Markham courthouse.
—
Evy Lewis,
Chicago Tribune,
19 June 2026
That demand, combined with its low float — as lockups keep insiders from selling shares for months — could put upward pressure on SpaceX shares.
—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
18 June 2026
In October, his children made heartfelt pleas to a New York federal judge to see their father released from federal lockup after more than a year of incarceration.
—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for lock (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lock (up)
Verb
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The suspect was jailed at Clark County Detention Center and awaiting extradition from Nevada to Utah, according to the outlet.
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Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are jailed in New York City while awaiting trial on drug trafficking charges.
Noun
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Given the cameras in the courtroom, his defense argued – much like lawyers have in Tyler Robinson’s case in the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk – that his appearance in shackles and a prison outfit could influence potential jurors.
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Later, Simpson served nine years in prison after being convicted on unrelated charges.
Verb
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The same fire that builds a business can quietly imprison the business owner who built it.
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From 1951 to 1955, Faiz was imprisoned on allegations of sedition against the Pakistani state.
Noun
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Two years ago, a judge freed Anthony Bailey after 27 years in the federal penitentiary, giving him a second chance at life.
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After a federal jury voted to convict him in early 2024, Hernández was sent to a notorious high-security penitentiary in West Virginia to serve his time.
Cite this Entry
“Lock (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lock%20%28up%29. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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