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)
Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2025
Investors holding just over half of Figma's outstanding Class A stock have agreed to an extended lockup, with the final 35% of their shares expiring in August 2026.
—Jordan Novet, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2025
The Chrisley family's grand return to TV after Todd and Julie's pardon releases from prison is marred by family strife that grew during the years of lockup.
—Ryan Coleman September 2, EW.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Since that peak, CoreWeave’s stock price has steadily dropped, in part because of the end of the lockup period that allowed early investors to sell their shares.
—Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 27 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lock (up)
Noun
Phil tells Johnny that Blackie met Allen in lockup, too, and Allen is bad news.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2025
Investors holding just over half of Figma's outstanding Class A stock have agreed to an extended lockup, with the final 35% of their shares expiring in August 2026.
—Jordan Novet, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2025
The Chrisley family's grand return to TV after Todd and Julie's pardon releases from prison is marred by family strife that grew during the years of lockup.
—Ryan Coleman September 2, EW.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Since that peak, CoreWeave’s stock price has steadily dropped, in part because of the end of the lockup period that allowed early investors to sell their shares.
—Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 27 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lock (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lock (up)
Verb
-
He was convicted of heroin possession, jailed for six years, and released in 1992.—
Ed Caesar,
New Yorker,
20 Oct. 2025
-
But a federal lawsuit argues authorities are regularly jailing and deporting immigrants who are survivors of human trafficking, domestic abuse and other crimes.—
Julia Marnin,
Sacbee.com,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Regarding the lack of disciplinary records documenting policy violations, Payne placed blame on prison staff for failure to write Holt up for disciplinary violations.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
22 Oct. 2025
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In August 2024, Lorincz was convicted on the manslaughter charge, and in November, a judge sentenced her to 25 years in prison.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Lindsay Sandiford, 68, has been imprisoned on Bali since 2012.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
22 Oct. 2025
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The recipient was the dissident theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who had been imprisoned several months earlier, on account of his opposition to the Nazi regime.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Portlaoise Prison, which is in the center of Ireland, is a nineteenth-century penitentiary built like a fortress—a one-star establishment, at best.—
Ed Caesar,
New Yorker,
20 Oct. 2025
-
If found guilty of a level 5 felony, Sanchez could be imprisoned anywhere from one to six years at an Indiana penitentiary and fined up to $10,000, according to the Indiana Code.—
Jade Jackson,
IndyStar,
12 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lock (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lock%20%28up%29. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.
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