as in to jail
to put in or as if in prison
if they catch you, they're going to lock you up and throw away the key!
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in jail
a place of confinement for persons held in lawful custody
the firm conviction that juvenile offenders should never be held in adult lockups
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lock (up)
Victoria Bekiempis, Vulture, 9 Apr. 2026
Rapper Lil Tjay was sprung from lockup Tuesday after his arrest for allegedly participating in a fight just before the rapper Offset was shot in Florida Monday evening.
—Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 8 Apr. 2026
Take the brake-by-wire system, which blends the disc brakes’ stopping power with the 849’s regenerative braking to reduce jerk, prevent lockup, and maximize performance.
—Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 21 Mar. 2026
After he was arrested and placed into lockup at the police department, Cabassa reportedly flooded a portion of the building after blocking his toilet in his cell.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 14 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lock (up)
Noun
Diddy had faced a maximum of 20 years in lockup; the prosecution asked Subramanian for a 135-month sentence.
—Victoria Bekiempis, Vulture, 9 Apr. 2026
Rapper Lil Tjay was sprung from lockup Tuesday after his arrest for allegedly participating in a fight just before the rapper Offset was shot in Florida Monday evening.
—Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 8 Apr. 2026
Take the brake-by-wire system, which blends the disc brakes’ stopping power with the 849’s regenerative braking to reduce jerk, prevent lockup, and maximize performance.
—Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 21 Mar. 2026
After he was arrested and placed into lockup at the police department, Cabassa reportedly flooded a portion of the building after blocking his toilet in his cell.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 14 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lock (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lock (up)
Verb
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Alicia Vikander plays Baranov’s wife Ksenia, and Tom Sturridge is a banker and oligarch based on former oil and gas baron Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who was jailed after challenging Putin’s grip on power.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
15 May 2026
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Torrie Lemon, 24, pleaded guilty to the charge on Thursday, May 14, according to a sentencing order obtained by PEOPLE, which notes that following her 40 days jailed, she would be placed on probation for a period of 1,420 days.—
Christine Pelisek,
PEOPLE,
15 May 2026
Noun
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Not only have books been pulled from shelves as a result of these efforts, but writers and publishers have found themselves in prison.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
-
On January 10, 2019, Denise and Mohamed were found guilty of nearly all charges; later that year, they were sentenced to seven years in prison.—
Yudhijit Bhattacharjee,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
Verb
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The minotaur was a monster, half man and half bull, that was imprisoned in a dark underground labyrinth.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2026
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For months conflicting news accounts have circulated that he was imprisoned or under house arrest.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
16 May 2026
Noun
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In the early 1970s, the penitentiary remained poorly funded, and prison officials hoped to make money on the rodeo.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
9 May 2026
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Al Capone was transferred by train to a federal penitentiary in Atlanta.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lock (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lock%20%28up%29. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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