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
Jennifer Jolly, USA Today, 18 June 2025
Agents autonomously handle common customer issues (e.g., account lockouts, password resets and basic inquiries), manage ticket routing and escalate complex problems to appropriate personnel.
—Abhishek Shivanna, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
Heather Reams, Sun Sentinel, 7 July 2025
Despite a few pockets of dense growth, most residential areas have been locked out of building incrementally and thickening up, even as demand to live there increases.
—Marina Bolotnikova, Vox, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for lockout
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Noun
Other litigation encompasses a wide range of issues, including biometric privacy violations, pig-butchering scams, and account lockouts.
—Jennifer Jolly, USA Today, 18 June 2025
Agents autonomously handle common customer issues (e.g., account lockouts, password resets and basic inquiries), manage ticket routing and escalate complex problems to appropriate personnel.
—Abhishek Shivanna, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
Verb
We’ll be locked out of one of the most consequential energy markets of the 21st century — dependent on foreign supply chains in a world where energy equals power.
—Heather Reams, Sun Sentinel, 7 July 2025
Despite a few pockets of dense growth, most residential areas have been locked out of building incrementally and thickening up, even as demand to live there increases.
—Marina Bolotnikova, Vox, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for lockout
Cite this Entry
“Lockout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lockout. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.
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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