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
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.
Recent Examples of locks
Jon MacHota, New York Times, 27 May 2026
Aqara has announced a new trio of smart locks for the UK market, with the Chinese smart home specialist expanding its compatibility for more awkward doors and closures.
—Paul Lamkin, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
Its infrared seeker locks onto a target before launch and guides itself to impact without further operator control.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 26 May 2026
Last June 16, armed immigration agents broke the locks to forcibly enter an Oxnard auto body shop.
—Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 26 May 2026
Just down the street, the Soo Locks Visitor Center offered an alternate vantage point to see the locks and learn about the site’s history.
—Nathan Diller, USA Today, 25 May 2026
The Digital Millennium Copyright Act, or DMCA, signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1998, provided the broad legal framework that allowed these technological locks to expand far beyond entertainment, including to software.
—Oana Godeanu-Kenworthy, Fortune, 25 May 2026
Brown and Doubs would be locks to start.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 20 May 2026
The mother of two kept her dark locks after switching into an all-black look to visit the Gucci Mansion that same day.
—Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 18 May 2026
Noun
Williams and Luepke are roster locks.
—Jon MacHota, New York Times, 27 May 2026
Aqara has announced a new trio of smart locks for the UK market, with the Chinese smart home specialist expanding its compatibility for more awkward doors and closures.
—Paul Lamkin, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
Its infrared seeker locks onto a target before launch and guides itself to impact without further operator control.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 26 May 2026
Last June 16, armed immigration agents broke the locks to forcibly enter an Oxnard auto body shop.
—Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 26 May 2026
Just down the street, the Soo Locks Visitor Center offered an alternate vantage point to see the locks and learn about the site’s history.
—Nathan Diller, USA Today, 25 May 2026
The Digital Millennium Copyright Act, or DMCA, signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1998, provided the broad legal framework that allowed these technological locks to expand far beyond entertainment, including to software.
—Oana Godeanu-Kenworthy, Fortune, 25 May 2026
Brown and Doubs would be locks to start.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 20 May 2026
The mother of two kept her dark locks after switching into an all-black look to visit the Gucci Mansion that same day.
—Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 18 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 deck wraps around the home to offer unobstructed lake views, and includes outdoor dining for six, along with kayaks and paddleboards for exploring the water.—
Angela Tafoya,
Vogue,
20 May 2026
-
Welcome to a Friday Nightcaps — the one where Jena Sims wraps herself in a bow as Brooks Koepka attempts to stay in contention at the PGA Championship.—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
15 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
-
This bag has an enormous main compartment that can hold bulky clothing items, a laptop compartment that keeps electronics tidy and folds down flat for easy packing, and multiple front-access pockets packed with slots of all shapes and sizes.—
Olivia Young,
Travel + Leisure,
24 May 2026
-
The falcon flies up high overhead, spots a target below, folds its wings into a streamlined shape and then drops into a steep dive.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2026
Verb
-
Some days, Gonce shuts herself in the bathroom, slides to the floor and sobs.—
Mike Hixenbaugh,
NBC news,
15 May 2026
-
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
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 29 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
