plural lock-ins
1
: a demonstration in which protestors lock themselves inside a building, factory, etc.
When those demands weren't met, students took over several school buildings and began a lock-in on March 11.P. R. Lockhart
2
: a usually supervised social event for young people confined to a space (such as a library or church) often overnight
Each year, students are enticed to participate in a post-prom lock-in with the promise of games, prizes, food and fun.Jasmine Dent Franks
Christian youth lock-ins aren't unusual in religious Texas, though they usually happen in churches. Every so often, a church group will leave a house of worship and rent out a mall or skating rink after normal operating hours.Steve Jansen

Word History

First Known Use

1920, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of lock-in was in 1920

Dictionary Entries Near lock-in

Cite this Entry

“Lock-in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lock-in. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

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