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
locked out; locking out; locks out
: to subject (a body of employees) to a lockout
Examples of lockout in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 18 Apr. 2026
The group worries that the lockout could threaten state tax revenues and force cuts to essential services, including infrastructure and public safety.
—Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026
Todd Feurer, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026
Opposition parties were locked out of television and radio coverage, prohibited from advertising on public stations and cut out by private media controlled by wealthy Orbán allies.
—Elizabeth Shackelford, Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lockout
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Noun
The Avs’ 121 points are the sixth-most since the lockout, and four of the other five teams with 121 or more points have lost in Round 1, with the fifth falling in Round 2.
—Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 18 Apr. 2026
The group worries that the lockout could threaten state tax revenues and force cuts to essential services, including infrastructure and public safety.
—Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026
Verb
The Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO) and the United Steelworkers union have reached a tentative agreement, two weeks after the utility locked out 1,600 workers amid a contract dispute.
—Todd Feurer, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026
Opposition parties were locked out of television and radio coverage, prohibited from advertising on public stations and cut out by private media controlled by wealthy Orbán allies.
—Elizabeth Shackelford, Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lockout
Cite this Entry
“Lockout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lockout. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
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