lock away

phrasal verb

locked away; locking away; locks away
1
: to put (something) in a locked container, place, etc.
The jewelry was locked away in a cabinet.
2
: to put (someone) in a locked place (such as a prison) for a long period of time
lock away a criminal
The state locked their sister away in a psychiatric hospital.
3
: to keep (oneself) alone in a room or place for a long period of time
He locked himself away in his room while he studied.
He was locked away in his room while he studied.

Examples of lock away in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The company’s Granite Bay facility has had one sustained complaint since 2022, for failing to lock away tools and products used for grooming and hygiene in their memory care unit. Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 24 Sep. 2025 Until now, much of that genetic information was locked away by preservation damage. Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 22 Sep. 2025 Season 2 finds the real guardians of Godolkin locked away, and the Prime Video series' connection to The Boys even stronger, given Billy Butcher's brief season 1 finale cameo. Ew Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Sep. 2025 Just start with a Heavy Duty Sweeping Cloth to grab hair, dust and dirt, then switch to Heavy Duty Mopping Pads to dissolve and lock away grime. Adam Mills, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lock away

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Cite this Entry

“Lock away.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lock%20away. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.

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