1
as in certainty
one that is certain to succeed
the governor is regarded as a lock for his party's presidential nomination
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lock
Nolan Finley, Boston Herald, 16 Mar. 2026
State leaders are also working to lock down funds to allow security training at other houses of worship, like the staff at Temple Israel received weeks before the attack.
—Alysia Burgio, CBS News, 16 Mar. 2026
Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 4 Apr. 2026
Phelps has emerged as the leading force among the linebacker group and appears to be the only lock as a 2026 starter.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lock
Verb
When a shooter drove a vehicle into a Mormon church in Flint last year and set the building afire, no nationwide alerts went out for Mormon facilities nationwide to lock down.
—Nolan Finley, Boston Herald, 16 Mar. 2026
State leaders are also working to lock down funds to allow security training at other houses of worship, like the staff at Temple Israel received weeks before the attack.
—Alysia Burgio, CBS News, 16 Mar. 2026
Noun
Dixie D’Amelio and Francesca Farago match with their long locks at The Snappys Awards in Los Angeles on March 31.
—Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 4 Apr. 2026
Phelps has emerged as the leading force among the linebacker group and appears to be the only lock as a 2026 starter.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lock
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lock
Verb
-
The Crew Module side hatch cover is removed, and the seals are greased, cleaned and inspected before the 500-pound hatch door is shut and latched using special tools, including a socket wrench and ratchet.—
Miles Doran,
CBS News,
1 Apr. 2026
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While some Summer House viewers immediately latched onto the first rumblings of a more-than-friend connection — care of the sometimes-reliable Deuxmoi — others worked hard to find non-fire explanations for the smoke.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Keep it light and clever, yet commit to a piece long enough to actually wrap it, whether that means editing your podcast or rehearsing your lines once.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
1 Apr. 2026
-
During warm-ups on Tuesday, Donovan Sebrango appeared to have been the only Panthers player to wrap rainbow tape onto his hockey stick.—
Amanda Rosa,
Miami Herald,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Here, there is only one certainty — the evil of the Empire — but beyond that, things aren’t as clear-cut.—
Rafael Motamayor,
IndieWire,
6 Apr. 2026
-
The lack of certainty from voters has been traced to the lack of confidence in the incumbent, Mayor Karen Bass.—
Carlos De Loera,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Public outcry shut this down a few years later, but the audience surely knew the reference when Lehrer recorded this song live at Sanders Theater.—
Brett Milano,
Boston Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
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Many European leaders have felt political pressure over the war, which faces opposition in their countries and has sent petroleum prices soaring as Iran has effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway between Iran and Oman through which about one-fifth of the world's oil passes.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Add remaining meringue in 3 batches, gently folding with a rubber spatula after each addition until only a few streaks of meringue remain (err on the side of undermixing to keep the cake batter billowy).—
Shilpa Uskokovic,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Mindless chores like folding laundry or washing dishes are great for this.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Passing the reconciliation bill may not be a slam dunk, as Republicans hold only tiny majorities in both chambers.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
1 Apr. 2026
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Another splices real combat videos between home runs and slam dunks from Wii Sports.—
Scott Simon,
NPR,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Their Orion capsule bolted out of orbit around Earth right on cue and chased after the moon to nearly 250,000 miles (400,000 kilometers) away.—
Marcia Dunn,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
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Mancini coached Italy to the European Championship title in 2021 then failed to get the Azzurri to the next year’s World Cup before bolting to take over Saudi Arabia’s national team.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Once you're done, simply attach them to twine.—
Shagun Khare,
Martha Stewart,
16 Mar. 2026
-
The craftsmanship is prodigious: Reddick also wrote the music that twines through the play, sinuous and often sweetly sinister as sung by the titular choir, who are both players in the story and our guides through the increasingly fantastical action.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
11 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lock.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lock. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
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