as in certainties
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
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Recent Examples of locks
Jane Bua, New Yorker, 14 May 2026
The influencer wore her hair in a low ponytail, with a few locks gently falling on the sides of her face.
—Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 11 May 2026
Don’t try to handle a squatter yourself by changing locks, hauling out belongings or shutting off utilities — Texas law treats that as a self-help eviction and can backfire if the person turns out to have tenant rights, making court eviction the required route in landlord-tenant cases.
—Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 May 2026
That could also include Weber State’s Gavin Ortega, a versatile 6-foot-5 piece who sports golden-blonde locks flowing from the back of his helmet.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 10 May 2026
Gone are the manual clamps or twist locks.
—Robb Rice, Robb Report, 10 May 2026
Built with durable cable and crush-resistant zinc alloy, these locks are made to withstand years of use and rough handling.
—Julia Morlino, Travel + Leisure, 10 May 2026
Thanks to a bevy of injuries to their star players as well as the fatigue of having to play meaningful hockey well into the month of June three seasons in a row, the Cats went from postseason locks as recently as January to NHL Draft lottery hopefuls in the span of four months.
—Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 8 May 2026
Don't leave garbage, recycling or composting cans outside, or consider bear-resistant containers with locks or latches.
—Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 8 May 2026
Noun
Someone spurted hair spray on Tate McRae’s long locks.
—Jane Bua, New Yorker, 14 May 2026
The influencer wore her hair in a low ponytail, with a few locks gently falling on the sides of her face.
—Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 11 May 2026
Don’t try to handle a squatter yourself by changing locks, hauling out belongings or shutting off utilities — Texas law treats that as a self-help eviction and can backfire if the person turns out to have tenant rights, making court eviction the required route in landlord-tenant cases.
—Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 May 2026
That could also include Weber State’s Gavin Ortega, a versatile 6-foot-5 piece who sports golden-blonde locks flowing from the back of his helmet.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 10 May 2026
Gone are the manual clamps or twist locks.
—Robb Rice, Robb Report, 10 May 2026
Built with durable cable and crush-resistant zinc alloy, these locks are made to withstand years of use and rough handling.
—Julia Morlino, Travel + Leisure, 10 May 2026
Thanks to a bevy of injuries to their star players as well as the fatigue of having to play meaningful hockey well into the month of June three seasons in a row, the Cats went from postseason locks as recently as January to NHL Draft lottery hopefuls in the span of four months.
—Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 8 May 2026
Don't leave garbage, recycling or composting cans outside, or consider bear-resistant containers with locks or latches.
—Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 8 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for locks
Verb
-
In a TikTok video, Eve promotes this $15 safety device that easily latches onto the strike plate of any door.—
Olivia Young,
Travel + Leisure,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Bad things happen when an AI chatbot latches onto one of your neuroses.—
Frank Landymore,
Futurism,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Forestry House wraps around a living tree near Travelers Rest, South Carolina.—
Kimberley Mok,
Travel + Leisure,
10 May 2026
-
Floor-to-ceiling glass wraps the home, while eight private balconies offer unobstructed views of the Nashville skyline.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
To address this, Ivo uses a multi-step pipeline that chains together more than 400 model calls for each contract review.—
Charlie Fink,
Forbes.com,
20 Jan. 2026
-
Tokyo Central is owned by Japanese company Pan Pacific Retail Management, which also runs the grocery chains Gelson’s and Don Quijote.—
John Metcalfe,
Mercury News,
3 Dec. 2025
Verb
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The hammock folds out accordion-style, so its base stays secure while in use.—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
13 May 2026
-
The standard Baggu holds up to three grocery bags’ worth of items, yet folds down into a flat, five-inch pouch that fits in the palm of my hand.—
Kayla Kitts,
Travel + Leisure,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
Another shuts a door on an old-timer in the middle of his menacing monologue about an apocalyptic storm.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Plugging the metal end of the hose into the inlet engages the vacuum’s motor, turning the machine on; when the hose is unplugged, the system shuts itself off.—
Jolie Kerr,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Even so, the Tower of Dimon, sitting at the intersection of finance and real estate, twines itself literally through the physical city, from the train tunnels below to the sidewalk and up to the skyline — and through its urban culture, too.—
Justin Davidson,
Curbed,
12 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
My favorite detail is the red ribbon on Giovanna’s right shoulder, which fastens her sleeve to her dress and floats over the darkness.—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Aquazzura’s signature swirling ankle strap curves upward from the sides of the shoe and fastens the 105mm heel with a slim buckle.—
Maggie Clancy,
Footwear News,
16 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
The tubing with inline emitters, shown at bottom, encircles a citrus.—
Steve Bender,
Southern Living,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The polar jet stream is a ribbon of air that encircles the Northern Hemisphere at high altitudes and determines atmospheric pressure patterns.—
Evan Bush,
NBC news,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Locks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/locks. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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