lock screen

noun

plural lock screens

: a graphical user interface displayed by a device (such as a computer or smartphone) that prevents access to most functions of the device until a certain action (such as swiping one's finger across the screen or entering a predetermined code) is performed

Speaking of locking your phone, Android typically shows notifications on your lock screen by default—which means the contents of messages you receive might be visible to anyone who looks at your device, even if they can't unlock it.

—JR Raphael

Examples of lock screen in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In contrast, my Skylo satellite connection would often disconnect once my phone’s lock screen came back into place. —PC Magazine, 5 Sep. 2025

Ricki announced the news on her Instagram Stories, sharing a screenshot of her phone's lock screen, which showed a photo of her sonogram. —Hannah Sacks, People.com, 2 Sep. 2025

The red notification bubble will appear on the Messages app but will not appear as a notification on your lock screen. —Cody Godwin, USA Today, 14 Aug. 2025

Apple says the lock screen will look like it’s made out of glass. —Kif Leswing, CNBC, 9 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1991, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for lock screen

• agin
• alkene
• allene
• ameen
• amin
• amine
• arene
• athene
• baleen
• beeline
• benzene
• between