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
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 7 June 2025
In quick succession, the entrance gets locked, a silent alarm triggered and umpteen squad cars pull up with sirens screaming in the strip mall parking lot outside.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 6 June 2025
Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2025
The battery is mounted to the body and then twisted – one notch to engage a child lock and ensure your youngster doesn't accidentally engage the powerful cutting machine, and another twist to engage battery power.
—New Atlas, 2 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for lock
Verb
Bayern are a high-pressing team who will try to lock opponents into their own third or force them to play long to get out of it.
—Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 7 June 2025
In quick succession, the entrance gets locked, a silent alarm triggered and umpteen squad cars pull up with sirens screaming in the strip mall parking lot outside.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 6 June 2025
Noun
The only active pitchers besides Kershaw considered Hall of Fame locks are Justin Verlander and Scherzer, both hard throwers with the requisite strikeout totals.
—Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2025
The battery is mounted to the body and then twisted – one notch to engage a child lock and ensure your youngster doesn't accidentally engage the powerful cutting machine, and another twist to engage battery power.
—New Atlas, 2 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for lock
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lock
Verb
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Nothing sends a shiver down the spine like finding a tick latched onto your skin after a hike.—
Jack Knudson,
Discover Magazine,
4 June 2025
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Months after ads for lactation cookies by the pregnant cookbook author Molly Baz were pulled down from Times Square for being too racy, Bobbie put a postpartum Ms. Baz back up there with her newborn latched to one breast and a can of its formula in one hand.—
Alisha Haridasani Gupta,
New York Times,
31 May 2025
Verb
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Phineas and Ferb is officially returning to the Disney Channel after wrapping its fourth season in 2015.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
7 June 2025
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The decision comes shortly after the two shows wrapped their 2024-25 seasons: Alert aired its last episode on May 27, and The Cleaning Lady finished up on June 3.—
Rick Porter,
HollywoodReporter,
6 June 2025
Noun
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This unexpected approach builds resilience for complex, subjective tasks where certainty isn’t always possible. - Jagadish Gokavarapu, Wissen Infotech 17.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
29 May 2025
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As of now, there is no certainty about what will happen to him or the rest of the detainees in the Terrorism Confinement Center (Cecot) prison.—
Uriel Blanco,
CNN Money,
28 May 2025
Verb
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Alex Caruso, one of the team’s veterans, was a bench guy, until he was tasked with defending Nikola Jokić during the Thunder’s series against the Denver Nuggets, and did about as good a job as anyone has ever done of shutting Jokić down.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
8 June 2025
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The animosity is so deep that William has shut the door on Harry.—
Lissete Lanuza Sáenz,
StyleCaster,
8 June 2025
Verb
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Personalized learning systems can tailor complex scientific concepts to individual learners, making the vastness of quantum mechanics or the intricacies of protein folding more accessible and, consequently, more awe-inspiring.—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2025
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Shortly after Memorial Day, the strike folded as workers streamed back to their jobs in Chicago and elsewhere.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
30 May 2025
Noun
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Analysts say the deal has potential for success, and while not an immediate and guaranteed slam dunk, the merger could provide opportunities for value.—
Megan Poinski,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2025
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Still, that doesn’t make pitching access to team equity a slam dunk, Lindholm said.—
Brendan Coffey,
Sportico.com,
7 May 2025
Verb
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Where the trunk narrowed higher in the tree, Flores bolted spikes into the bark to make the final few steps into the structure.—
Liam Dillon,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2025
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Five-year-old Amber bolted in late April, a day after arriving in London from Qatar, where she was rescued from the streets.—
Lianne Kolirin,
CNN Money,
3 June 2025
Verb
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At his best, McCann does an assiduous, subtle job of twining his metaphors through everyday life.—
Katy Waldman,
New Yorker,
19 May 2025
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Once the cucumbers start to vine, coax the vines to climb the trellis by twining them around the trellis with your fingers and securing them in place, if needed, with plant clips or garden twine.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
12 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lock.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lock. Accessed 13 Jun. 2025.
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