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
Relevance
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
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 lock (up)
Erik Ortiz, NBC news, 27 Mar. 2026
Take the brake-by-wire system, which blends the disc brakes’ stopping power with the 849’s regenerative braking to reduce jerk, prevent lockup, and maximize performance.
—Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 21 Mar. 2026
After he was arrested and placed into lockup at the police department, Cabassa reportedly flooded a portion of the building after blocking his toilet in his cell.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 14 Mar. 2026
Another factor likely contributing to StubHub’s falling share price is the expiration of its 180-day lockup.
—Luisa Beltran, Sportico.com, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lock (up)
Noun
Tucked in a residential neighborhood of bungalows and crape myrtle trees, the federal women’s prison in Bryan, Texas, doesn’t look like a traditional lockup.
—Erik Ortiz, NBC news, 27 Mar. 2026
Take the brake-by-wire system, which blends the disc brakes’ stopping power with the 849’s regenerative braking to reduce jerk, prevent lockup, and maximize performance.
—Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 21 Mar. 2026
After he was arrested and placed into lockup at the police department, Cabassa reportedly flooded a portion of the building after blocking his toilet in his cell.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 14 Mar. 2026
Another factor likely contributing to StubHub’s falling share price is the expiration of its 180-day lockup.
—Luisa Beltran, Sportico.com, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lock (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lock (up)
Verb
-
Iranian American actor Anthony Azizi says the continuing Middle East conflict has sparked rising persecution of Iran’s Baha’i minority, including its members being jailed and tortured under the threat of execution.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
1 May 2026
-
Limon’s roommate, Hisham Saleh Abugharbieh, 26, was taken into custody the same day has been jailed since then, facing two charges of first-degree murder.—
Mike Schneider,
Sun Sentinel,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
Or worse, to turn it into a sort of prison sentence.—
James Wood,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
The rights lawyer fainted twice in prison on Friday in the northwestern city of Zanjan, her foundation said, and was admitted to a local hospital.—
Adam Schreck,
Fortune,
3 May 2026
Verb
-
On Saturday, however, Allen's attorneys in a court filing asked the court to remove him from any suicide precautions while he is imprisoned.—
Garrett Downs,
CNBC,
3 May 2026
-
Meanwhile, imprisoned Iranian rights lawyer and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi remained hospitalized in northwestern Iran after being transferred from prison Friday after suffering a cardiac crisis and fainting.—
SARAH EL DEEB,
Arkansas Online,
3 May 2026
Noun
-
Local flavor The Idaho Botanical Garden is located next to the penitentiary and boasts more than 30 acres of gardens.—
Nathan Diller,
USA Today,
18 Apr. 2026
-
The government opened the federal penitentiary on Alcatraz in 1934, hoping to use the remote island to house particularly difficult prisoners, according to the National Park Service.—
Justine McDaniel,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lock (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lock%20%28up%29. Accessed 4 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
