LOCKING (UP) Synonyms: 49 Similar and Opposite Words

locking (up)

verb

present participle of lock (up)

as in jailing

to put in or as if in prison if they catch you, they're going to lock you up and throw away the key!

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for locking (up)

Verb

His mass roundups virtually eliminated violent crime in his country, by jailing more than 90,000 people suspected of gang ties, many without due process.

— Will Freeman, The Atlantic, 20 Sep. 2026
BigXthaPlug's Grandstand show at the Iowa State Fair went on despite his arrest and jailing in Texas.

— Courtney Crowder, Des Moines Register, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of jailing

Verb

The country’s remaining detention facilities are severely overcrowded while concerns have been raised about imprisoning gang members in parts of the country not currently under gang control.

— Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 7 Aug. 2026
Ilham Aliyev continued his father’s dictatorial legacy, imprisoning his critics and enriching his family and cronies, while polishing his country’s image by hosting Formula One events and the Eurovision Song Contest.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 July 2026

Definition of imprisoning

Verb

Some Alvernia students are already interning with federal agencies and completing work that requires secret security clearances.

— Wakisha Bailey, CBS News, 17 Sep. 2026
High school students interning at an observatory in Hawaii have successfully imaged a pair of colliding spiral galaxies located deep within overlapping cultural constellations.

— Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of interning

Verb

The goal is to reduce violence, get people proper resources, and avoid the cycle of incarcerating people dealing with poverty, addiction, and mental health.

— Scott Maucione, NPR, 27 July 2026
Officials reinforced stay-at-home orders by erecting fences around some apartment buildings, essentially incarcerating occupants.

— Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 1 Apr. 2026

Definition of incarcerating

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.

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locking out

locking (up)

lock out

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“Locking (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/locking%20%28up%29. Accessed 24 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of locking (up)

verb

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