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 of lockup

• 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

In at least 38 instances, the ring flew six large-payload drones to deliver contraband to federal lockups in Atlanta and Jesup, and at prisons in Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. — Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 25 June 2026

That selling pressure isn't expected to let up anytime soon , especially as lockup expiration periods expire and more insiders gain permission to sell. — Sarah Min, CNBC, 23 June 2026

At least 20% of the shares will be released after second-quarter results are disclosed sometime in the coming months, with all the lockups expiring in December. — Los Angeles Times, 23 June 2026

Most company insiders who own shares of stock as part of their compensation aren’t allowed to sell for a period of time, called the lockup, after the IPO. — Erik Sherman, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026

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