lockup

noun

lock·​up ˈläk-ˌəp 

1

: jail

especially : a local jail where persons are detained prior to court hearing

2

: an act of locking : the state of being locked

Synonyms

• jail
• prison
• penitentiary

Examples of lockup in a Sentence

the firm conviction that juvenile offenders should never be held in adult lockups

Recent Examples on the Web

Investors holding just over half of Figma's outstanding Class A stock have agreed to an extended lockup, with the final 35% of their shares expiring in August 2026. —Jordan Novet, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2025

The Chrisley family's grand return to TV after Todd and Julie's pardon releases from prison is marred by family strife that grew during the years of lockup. —Ryan Coleman September 2, EW.com, 2 Sep. 2025

Since that peak, CoreWeave’s stock price has steadily dropped, in part because of the end of the lockup period that allowed early investors to sell their shares. —Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 27 Aug. 2025

Some private equity or real estate vehicles require multiyear lockups. —Gregory Clifford, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1746, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for lockup

• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• makeup
• markup
• pickup

Kids Definition

lockup

noun

lock·​up -ˌəp 

: prison sense 2, jail

Legal Definition

lockup

noun

lock·​up

1

: a cell or group of cells (as in a courthouse) or jail where persons are held prior to a court hearing compare house of correction, house of detention, jail, penitentiary, prison

2

: the tactic of arranging with a friendly party an option to buy a valuable portion of one's corporate assets in order to discourage a takeover by another party