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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of lock
R. Scott Rappold, Denver Post, 1 June 2026
If time permits, lock your home upon departure and disconnect utilities and appliances.
—Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 25 May 2026
Janhoi McGregor, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026
Immediate freezing locks in nutrients and protects against degradation.
—Jillian Kubala, Health, 5 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for lock
Verb
Swimmers die every summer in Colorado, as frigid water can make the body lock up in seconds.
—R. Scott Rappold, Denver Post, 1 June 2026
If time permits, lock your home upon departure and disconnect utilities and appliances.
—Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 25 May 2026
Noun
Selling now, before the two-tier reality of iOS 27 becomes widely known, locks in your best price.
—Janhoi McGregor, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026
Immediate freezing locks in nutrients and protects against degradation.
—Jillian Kubala, Health, 5 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for lock
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lock
Verb
-
Trend-following hedge funds generated their best-ever annual performance that year, with the SG CTA Index advancing more than 20%, as managers also successfully latched onto the sustained fall in equities and bonds.—
Hugh Leask,
CNBC,
5 June 2026
-
These proteins, like a kind of molecular Velcro, latch onto sugar molecules that coat viruses like Ebola and trap them as blood passes through the system.—
Elie Dolgin,
IEEE Spectrum,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
She was wrapped in a blanket in her favorite chair.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
-
The rooms Each of the 40 villas and suites are bright and airy with high ceilings, some with wide-frame views out to the lapping blue sea, others wrapped in a tropical garden.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
However, that doesn't predict anything with certainty, as there still remain many unknowns in terms of what could develop.—
Meredith Garofalo,
Space.com,
1 June 2026
-
Based on the latest reporting, simply returning to a major league mound before the end of the season is no longer a certainty.—
Peter Chawaga,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
The international airport in General Santos was temporarily shut due to the earthquake, and 17 domestic flights were canceled, civil aviation officials said.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
-
Pope Francis did pack some punch in the ninth but closer Trace Reed was able to shut the door and keep the score at 10-5.—
Jack Murray,
Boston Herald,
7 June 2026
Verb
-
In 1980 and ’81, Ghirri was lured to Amsterdam, invited by the Polaroid company to experiment with its 20×24 Land Camera, a monstrous version of the then-ubiquitous SX-70 folding model.—
James Quandt,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
-
The emotional labor of managing everyone else’s comfort becomes folded into the job description.—
Kelly Ehlers,
Rolling Stone,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
The final season of creator Christopher Storer’s show is a slam dunk for fans and destined to be the subject of a thousand think pieces.—
David Faris,
TheWeek,
3 June 2026
-
But not all the works in the Newhouse collection were a slam dunk.—
Julie Brener Davich,
ARTnews.com,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
On top of that, the bodywork is a central cover bolted down with rivet-type fasteners.—
Utkarsh Sood
June 05,
New Atlas,
5 June 2026
-
At the same time, the number of new hires and layoffs both tumbled after bolting higher in March; and voluntary quits fell to their lowest level in nearly six years, an indication of workers’ slipping confidence in the labor market.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
Up high, fresh laundry quivers in the breeze like bunting, pegged precariously to twine stretched taut between windows.—
Esme Nicholson,
NPR,
3 June 2026
-
The thin, wiry stems climb by twining to cover a trellis, arbor, or fence.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
27 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lock.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lock. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
