headlock

noun

head·​lock ˈhed-ˌläk How to pronounce headlock (audio)
: a hold in which a wrestler encircles an opponent's head with one arm

Examples of headlock in a Sentence

He had me in a headlock.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
All with a cast on his leg from a ruptured tendon, Chestnut put a protester in a headlock and dropped him to the ground. Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 4 July 2025 Stephenson then leans into Howard, who puts him in a headlock before the athletes begin ruthlessly shoving each other into the fan seats at the stadium. Natasha Dye, People.com, 16 June 2025 However, as Page continued to hold the host in a headlock and lowered his body to the ground, Seacrest began to tap out. Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 22 May 2025 Sinking onto Desdemona’s bed, reciting his lines without notable crescendo or feeling, Washington puts Osborne into a weary headlock, and then kind of leans on her to death. Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 28 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for headlock

Word History

First Known Use

1876, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of headlock was in 1876

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Headlock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/headlock. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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