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
Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026
If time permits, lock your home upon departure and disconnect utilities and appliances.
—Kansas City Star Weather Bot, Kansas City Star, 18 May 2026
Mitch Light, New York Times, 22 May 2026
The actress debuted long, clavicle-grazing locks and bright summer highlights.
—Lara Walsh, InStyle, 21 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for lock
Verb
The Trojans managed to take one of three against Oregon to at least lock up a bye until Friday in the Big Ten tournament.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026
If time permits, lock your home upon departure and disconnect utilities and appliances.
—Kansas City Star Weather Bot, Kansas City Star, 18 May 2026
Noun
Coastal is once again among the nation’s leaders — third with 133 — and is a lock to return to the NCAA Tournament.
—Mitch Light, New York Times, 22 May 2026
The actress debuted long, clavicle-grazing locks and bright summer highlights.
—Lara Walsh, InStyle, 21 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for lock
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lock
Verb
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Dannie, from Somerset in southwest England, first noticed that something was wrong when Freya, now 4, was put on infant formula after struggling to latch to breastfeed.—
Adam England,
PEOPLE,
13 May 2026
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These lock bags latch onto lounge chairs, bikes, backpack straps, and just about anything else.—
Olivia Young,
Travel + Leisure,
12 May 2026
Verb
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Rippling streamlines this process by wrapping everything onto one platform, automating payroll, while coordinating with security, IT and HR.—
Ellen Sheng,
CNBC,
19 May 2026
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While Hubbard's face is completely exposed to the camera, the firearm is wrapped in what appears to be a hooded sweatshirt or jacket.—
Peter D'Abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
19 May 2026
Noun
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The traits that helped managers succeed in a pre-AI workplace — confidence, visibility and decisiveness — were optimized for environments where leaders were expected to project certainty, move fast, command attention and personally drive execution.—
Nirit Cohen,
Forbes.com,
25 May 2026
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So too were Manchester City’s Phil Foden and Chelsea’s Cole Palmer, two players who not so long ago would have been considered certainties for selection.—
Dan Sheldon,
New York Times,
23 May 2026
Verb
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But the team could not shut the door on the Stags (35-14), who staved off elimination and delayed an early claim to a coveted berth in the College World Series, which begins May 28 at Classic Park in Eastlake, Ohio.—
Edward Lee,
Baltimore Sun,
23 May 2026
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During the domestic crackdown that started that year, the Kremlin shut popular news outlets, banned opposition groups, and imprisoned hundreds of talented young Russians.—
Anna Nemtsova,
Time,
23 May 2026
Verb
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The Committee of Seventy says New York City and Seattle both established programs, but later folded them into state-run plans.—
Tom Ignudo,
CBS News,
19 May 2026
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Most people would have folded under the pressure.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
19 May 2026
Noun
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The issue might seem like a slam dunk for Republicans and Democrats alike, given it has largely been framed as a necessity to protect American jobs.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
12 May 2026
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The action off a slot-line pass is that much of a slam dunk for producing offense.—
Fluto Shinzawa,
New York Times,
9 May 2026
Verb
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Treatments and amenities woven into the full stay, rather than bolted on as a separate clinic, also tend to deliver more measurable benefit than à la carte high-tech interventions.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
23 May 2026
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Many Models For Taste, Not One All of which is why Ansari doubts that taste will be solved by a single layer bolted onto a foundation model.—
Ray Ravaglia,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
Verb
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Once you're done, simply attach them to twine.—
Shagun Khare,
Martha Stewart,
16 Mar. 2026
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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 26 May. 2026.
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