lock away

verb

locked away; locking away; locks away

1

: to put (something) in a locked container, place, etc.

The jewelry was locked away in a cabinet.

2

: to put (someone) in a locked place (such as a prison) for a long period of time

lock away a criminal

The state locked their sister away in a psychiatric hospital.

3

: to keep (oneself) alone in a room or place for a long period of time

He locked himself away in his room while he studied.

He was locked away in his room while he studied.

Examples of lock away in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Any records of internal discussions, disagreements among board members, or conflicting visions of the company’s future during his tenure, as well as any surviving personal papers, are likely to reside in the UPS archives, locked away from outsiders. — Marc Levinson, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2026

The first meandering rivers and floodplains developed as tree roots stabilized soil and prevented its erosion, while at the same time locking away vast amounts of atmospheric carbon into the nascent soils. — Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026

The atmosphere at Denver Comedy Works can only be improved by the fact that the club implements Yondr bags, locking away phones for the sake of a distraction-free show. — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 25 Sep. 2026

While details about the wedding were initially kept under wraps, with guests reportedly asked to sign NDAs and lock away their phones for the evening, accounts from the night have slowly trickled out in the months following the nuptials. — Daysia Tolentino, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Sep. 2026

Rhymes for lock away

• aaa
• alleyway
• alumnae
• anime
• anyway
• arete
• attache
• axillae
• baa
• beaujolais
• bouvier
• breakaway