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
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
Crinon had just exited the penalty box after elbowing Nathan MacKinnon in the chin; Wilson target-locked on Crinon and hit him cleanly before things devolved.
—Sean Gentille, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2026
During that incident, Shenyang J-15 jets from the Liaoning aircraft carrier reportedly acquired radar locks on Japanese F-15s near Okinawa.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 14 Feb. 2026
Another common mistake is having the wrong lock on your bag.
—Kelsey Legg, ABC News, 13 Feb. 2026
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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
Crinon had just exited the penalty box after elbowing Nathan MacKinnon in the chin; Wilson target-locked on Crinon and hit him cleanly before things devolved.
—Sean Gentille, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2026
During that incident, Shenyang J-15 jets from the Liaoning aircraft carrier reportedly acquired radar locks on Japanese F-15s near Okinawa.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 14 Feb. 2026
Another common mistake is having the wrong lock on your bag.
—Kelsey Legg, ABC News, 13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lock on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lock%20on. Accessed 8 Mar. 2026.
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