lockdown

noun lock·down \ ˈläk-ˌdau̇n \

|Updated on: 18 Jun 2018

Definition of lockdown

1 : the confinement of prisoners to their cells for all or most of the day as a temporary security measure

2 : an emergency measure or condition in which people are temporarily prevented from entering or leaving a restricted area or building (such as a school) during a threat of danger

… the school went on lockdown when a student brought a pellet gun to campus.
—Ian Gordon

Recent Examples of lockdown from the Web

Chatsworth High School has been placed on lockdown after someone called to threaten a shooting, police said Tuesday.

— james queally, latimes.com, "LAPD investigates shooting threat at Chatsworth High School," 5 June 2018
The Acme on Park Boulevard was placed on lockdown for about 3 ½ hours during the standoff and employees and customers were move to safe location during that time, said Dana Ward, an Acme spokeswoman.

— staff report, Philly.com, "Standoff with man claiming to have bomb ends peacefully in Wildwood," 4 June 2018
Contemporary Resort was subsequently put on lockdown because of Burch’s claims.

— janine puhak, Fox News, "YouTuber arrested at Disney World for active shooter prank," 31 May 2018
Topsail High was put on lockdown shortly before 9 a.m. Tuesday, after a tipster warned authorities a Topsail High student was headed to school with weapons, WECT reported.

— mark price, charlotteobserver, "An NC teen planned to stop a school shooter. He got arrested instead.," 31 May 2018
The incident took place at Noblesville West Middle School, about 25 miles (40 kms) northeast of Indianapolis, and authorities said the school was placed on lockdown.

— Anchorage Daily News, "Two injured in shooting incident at Indiana middle school, police say," 25 May 2018
The school did not go on lockdown but requested additional police presence though the final day of the school year Thursday, Kellis said.

— bayan wang, azcentral, "Phoenix PD: Firearm was possibly pointed at students leaving school," 22 May 2018
The school went on lockdown at 8 a.m. An unknown number of possible explosive devices were found at the school and at a separate site nearby.

— michael biesecker, BostonGlobe.com, "Teen held in Texas attack is said to have used father’s guns," 19 May 2018
Police surrounded the shed and placed a nearby day care on lockdown as a precaution.

— crimesider staff, CBS News, "Pair of police shootings leave 3 dead in Kansas City," 15 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'lockdown.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.