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)
Gregory Clifford, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Christopher Gibson accused officers of shocking him with a stun gun, threatening him with a police dog and assaulting him in the city lockup.
—Christina Hall, Freep.com, 13 Aug. 2025
The pilot was initially held at a local lockup in New Orleans before he was transferred to the Johnson County Jail on Saturday.
—David Matthews, New York Daily News, 5 Aug. 2025
Diddy’s team has contended that an appropriate guidelines range would be a sentence of 21 to 27 months in federal lockup.
—Victoria Bekiempis, Vulture, 4 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lock (up)
Noun
Some private equity or real estate vehicles require multiyear lockups.
—Gregory Clifford, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Christopher Gibson accused officers of shocking him with a stun gun, threatening him with a police dog and assaulting him in the city lockup.
—Christina Hall, Freep.com, 13 Aug. 2025
The pilot was initially held at a local lockup in New Orleans before he was transferred to the Johnson County Jail on Saturday.
—David Matthews, New York Daily News, 5 Aug. 2025
Diddy’s team has contended that an appropriate guidelines range would be a sentence of 21 to 27 months in federal lockup.
—Victoria Bekiempis, Vulture, 4 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lock (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lock (up)
Verb
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Green, the Congregation Or Zion rabbi, previously faced death threats from a Tempe man who pleaded guilty in 2023 and was subsequently jailed.—
Jose R. Gonzalez,
AZCentral.com,
23 Sep. 2025
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Sandeen had an initial hearing Friday on the Ramsey County charges and remained jailed on $100,000 bail.—
Nick Ferraro,
Twin Cities,
20 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Even after the state Supreme Court ordered her release, Bailey’s office told the prison warden to ignore the court’s order.—
Jeremy Kohler,
ProPublica,
24 Sep. 2025
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In this case that trial was the federal conviction in Texas of Eric Kay, who has been sentenced to 22 years in prison for providing drugs to the pitcher that killed him.—
City News Service,
Oc Register,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The president specifically thanked El Salvador for accepting and imprisoning deported migrants in a notorious prison, a partnership that caused backlash after a Maryland man was wrongfully sent there.—
Brett Samuels,
The Hill,
23 Sep. 2025
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The reportedly downtrodden facility is also where Luigi Mangione, accused of murdering United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, is imprisoned.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
23 Sep. 2025
Noun
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In 2005, the penitentiary was downgraded to medium security, and its name changed to the Federal Correctional Institution.—
Randy Mason,
Kansas City Star,
17 Sep. 2025
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Arcángela and Serafina remain in the women’s penitentiary, continuing to operate illicit businesses and accumulating wealth, but without hope of freedom.—
Isabella Wandermurem,
Time,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lock (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lock%20%28up%29. Accessed 24 Sep. 2025.
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