lockout

1 of 2

noun

lock·​out ˈläk-ˌau̇t 

: the withholding of employment by an employer and the whole or partial closing of the business establishment in order to gain concessions from or resist demands of employees

lock out

2 of 2

verb

locked out; locking out; locks out

transitive verb

: to subject (a body of employees) to a lockout

Examples of lockout in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Both were arrested and charged with civil disobedience during the 2003-2004 grocery strike and lockout in California, and again in 2008 when El Super inherited problematic labor contracts from Gigante when stores in the region were acquired. —Pat Maio, Oc Register, 30 Sep. 2025

Many in the industry are also concerned another lockout looms about a year from now, and the lead-up hasn’t been pretty. —Evan Drellich, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025

Verb

And while nine out of 10 workers at the Environmental Protection Agency were initially set to be locked out, there is reporting that suggests the number is far smaller. —Philip Elliott, Time, 1 Oct. 2025

Manfred has telegraphed the likelihood of the owners once again voting to lock out the players when the current collective bargaining agreement expires after next season. —Andy McCullough, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1853, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1853, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for lockout

• about
• bailout
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout
• checkout
• closeout
• cutout
• devout
• dropout

Kids Definition

lockout

noun

lock·​out -ˌau̇t 

: the stopping of work or closing of a plant by an employer during a labor dispute in order to make the employees come to terms

Legal Definition

lockout

noun

lock·​out ˈläk-ˌau̇t 

: the withholding of employment by an employer in order to gain concessions from or resist demands of employees