lock 1 of 2

verb

Definition of locknext
1
as in to latch

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Dissimilar Words
2
as in to wrap

Related Words

lock

2 of 2

noun

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
Verb
On the skin-care front, hyaluronic acid and glycerin help draw in and lock in moisture, while soothing tiger grass helps support the skin barrier and calm the look of irritation. — Deanna Pai, Vogue, 10 July 2026 If time permits, lock your home upon departure and disconnect utilities and appliances. — Kansas City Star Weather Bot, Kansas City Star, 9 July 2026
Noun
Similarly, the door to the pool should have a lock and an alarm. — Luke Chinman, PEOPLE, 22 July 2026 Economists have also said job lock prevents people from starting their own businesses. — Bob Herman, STAT, 22 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for lock
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lock
  1. latch
  2. wrap
  3. certainty
  4. shut
  5. fold
  6. slam dunk
  7. bolt
  8. twine
Verb
  • It was not built with any standardized fixture that a repair craft can latch onto.
    — Wanjiku Chebet Kanjumba, The Conversation, 22 July 2026
  • In 2019 and again in 2020, the company launched a pair of spacecraft that latched onto faltering communication satellites and steered them, providing extra years of life.
    — Marcia Dunn, Fortune, 22 July 2026
Definition of latch
Verb
  • Bursting with juicy mango and wrapped in a soft, pillowy haze, this IPA brings big Midway energy to every sip.
    — Jess Fleming, Twin Cities, 21 July 2026
  • The sandals are completed by delicate, adjustable ankle straps that wrap over the top of the foot and fasten with a buckle closure.
    — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 21 July 2026
Definition of wrap
Noun
  • In the span of three weeks, the Red Sox went from an almost certainty to trade Aroldis Chapman, Sonny Gray and maybe Willson Contreras to now looking like clear buyers.
    — Zack Meisel, New York Times, 24 July 2026
  • Errant thoughts will still arise (the laundry, the email, the certainty that your opening scene is a disaster) but in a mindful state, those thoughts are observable.
    — April Dávila, Literary Hub, 22 July 2026
Definition of certainty
Verb
  • So the Dodgers have shut him down from all activity this week in hopes that things calm down.
    — Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 18 July 2026
  • Since the Strait of Hormuz was effectively shut, Saudi Arabia has routed almost all its crude exports through its Red Sea terminals.
    — Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 17 July 2026
Definition of shut
Verb
  • When Britain withdrew from the Gulf, Qatar declined to fold into the federation that became the United Arab Emirates and took independence alone in 1971, under Sheikh Ahmad bin Ali, before Hamad's branch of the family held power.
    — Güney Yıldız, Forbes.com, 18 July 2026
  • Rather than just trimming stems and plopping them in a vase, reflexing plays with the form of the flower by gently folding petals backwards to open up the bloom.
    — Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 18 July 2026
Definition of fold
Noun
  • In addition to an overtime 3-pointer, Wheeler’s performance was also highlighted by a running slam dunk in the fourth.
    — Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 July 2026
  • Latin America, Australia/NZ, France, Germany and the UK are the slam dunks for Moana.
    — Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 7 July 2026
Definition of slam dunk
Verb
  • The standard prescription for organizations such as these is to bolt security onto their existing network—buy a firewall, add a VPN, maybe bring in an MSSP if the budget allows.
    — Pramod Badjate, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
  • The internet did not unlock productivity until businesses rewired processes around digital workflows rather than bolting websites onto analog operations.
    — Nigel Vaz, Time, 20 July 2026
Definition of bolt
Verb
  • Blooms provide an early source of nectar for hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators, while songbirds shelter and build nests among the twining branches.
    — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 12 July 2026
  • Up high, fresh laundry quivers in the breeze like bunting, pegged precariously to twine stretched taut between windows.
    — Esme Nicholson, NPR, 3 June 2026
Definition of twine

Phrases Containing lock

Browse Nearby Words

loci classici
lock
lockbox
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Cite this Entry

“Lock.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lock. Accessed 24 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on lock

Nglish: Translation of lock for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about lock

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