lock on
verb
variants
or lock onto
locked on or locked onto; locking on or locking onto; locks on or locks onto
: to acquire (something, such as a target or signal) automatically using a sensor (such as radar)
Examples of lock on in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
After the song is done, though, its building blocks seem to evaporate from memory; their vaporousness left me yearning for more surprises, or a tighter lock on the groove.
—
Kiana Mickles, Pitchfork, 5 Mar. 2026
Among the more promising technologies in the UForce portfolio is a software that allows small interceptor drones to lock on to moving targets and blow them out of the sky.
—Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2026
The lock on the circular ring, Conrad saw, was cracked.
—James Verini, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
During the welfare check, an apartment maintenance worker noted that the lock on the back door of Sanchez’s apartment had been changed, and the deadbolt on the front door was also locked.
—Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Feb. 2026
With the Olympian backline locked on him, Fehrenbach took a shot at goal.
—Clark Fahrenthold, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
Start with the lock on your door because safety is key.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 21 Feb. 2026
Colin cooks Ray meals, sleeps on the floor while Ray takes the bed, lets Ray shave his hair off, and wears a lock on a chain around his neck.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 20 Feb. 2026
Gone is the American idea of an Irish pub, and in arrives a new wave of bars that lock on the beating heart of an Irish drinking establishment.
—Scott Hocker, TheWeek, 20 Feb. 2026
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Kiana Mickles, Pitchfork, 5 Mar. 2026
Among the more promising technologies in the UForce portfolio is a software that allows small interceptor drones to lock on to moving targets and blow them out of the sky.
—Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2026
The lock on the circular ring, Conrad saw, was cracked.
—James Verini, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
During the welfare check, an apartment maintenance worker noted that the lock on the back door of Sanchez’s apartment had been changed, and the deadbolt on the front door was also locked.
—Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Feb. 2026
With the Olympian backline locked on him, Fehrenbach took a shot at goal.
—Clark Fahrenthold, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
Start with the lock on your door because safety is key.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 21 Feb. 2026
Colin cooks Ray meals, sleeps on the floor while Ray takes the bed, lets Ray shave his hair off, and wears a lock on a chain around his neck.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 20 Feb. 2026
Gone is the American idea of an Irish pub, and in arrives a new wave of bars that lock on the beating heart of an Irish drinking establishment.
—Scott Hocker, TheWeek, 20 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lock on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lock%20on. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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