lockup

noun

lock·​up ˈläk-ˌəp 

1

: jail

especially : a local jail where persons are detained prior to court hearing

2

: an act of locking : the state of being locked

Synonyms

• jail
• prison
• penitentiary

Examples of lockup in a Sentence

the firm conviction that juvenile offenders should never be held in adult lockups

Recent Examples on the Web

Some private equity or real estate vehicles require multiyear lockups. —Gregory Clifford, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025

If needed, the Jim Hogg County lockup will be made available to federal border authorities, the statement from Abbott's office said. —John C. Moritz, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025

The parole bid itself is possible because the brothers were younger than age 26 when the crime occurred and have spent 35 years in lockup for life-without-the-possibility-of-parole sentence. —Sean Emery, Oc Register, 17 July 2025

What does Gypsy-Rose Blanchard's life after lockup look like after Gypsy-Rose Blanchard: Life After Lockup? —Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 1 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1746, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for lockup

• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• makeup
• markup
• pickup

Kids Definition

lockup

noun

lock·​up -ˌəp 

: prison sense 2, jail

Legal Definition

lockup

noun

lock·​up

1

: a cell or group of cells (as in a courthouse) or jail where persons are held prior to a court hearing compare house of correction, house of detention, jail, penitentiary, prison

2

: the tactic of arranging with a friendly party an option to buy a valuable portion of one's corporate assets in order to discourage a takeover by another party