lockout

1 of 2

noun

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

lock out

2 of 2

verb

locked out; locking out; locks out

transitive verb

: to subject (a body of employees) to a lockout

Examples of lockout in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The industry expectation is that there will be a lockout come December and that the sides won’t be able to reach an agreement until the spring at the earliest. — Evan Drellich, New York Times, 28 Aug. 2026

Chesterton’s Town Council has joined other Northwest Indiana communities in approving a resolution calling on BP to end its lockout against United Steelworkers Local 7-1 and resume negotiations. — Jim Woods, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026

Verb

If no deal is in place, the owners are expected to lock out the players, shutting down the usual offseason activity. — Evan Drellich, New York Times, 28 Aug. 2026

The film centers on a near-future in which wealth can buy biological youth, pitting an aging elite that hoards money and power against a younger generation locked out of both. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 27 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1853, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1853, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for lockout

• about
• bailout
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout
• checkout
• closeout
• cutout
• devout
• dropout

Kids 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