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
Staff Author, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026
Each container comes with a matching lid with a silicone gasket, which provides an airtight seal and locks in freshness.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 28 Apr. 2026
Big West regular-season champion Hawaii, which beat Long Beach on its home court twice in the regular season, and MIVA champion Ball State (25-4) appear to be locks for the other top-four seeds.
—Oc Register, 26 Apr. 2026
To elevate your locks abroad, try a French Hairpin from Kitsch.
—Jamie Davis Smith, Travel + Leisure, 25 Apr. 2026
Our Stainless Steel Step Garbage Bin stays so much cleaner than a regular garbage bin; the stainless steel lid locks odors inside, so your trash never smells.
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Apr. 2026
Digital rights management is similarly criticized for giving rights holders too much power to control information by creating digital locks that cannot legally be bypassed.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 Apr. 2026
Should five of these eight hear their names called on top of the five locks, UM would have double-digit draftees for the first time since 2002 when 11 Hurricanes players were selected.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2026
Note the control and tightness of the hatched lines on the cheek, and the way the mark loosens with the locks of hair right next to it, like wind rushing around a building.
—Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
Noun
Her slightly shorter brunette locks feature a hint of golden highlights that frame her face.
—Staff Author, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026
Each container comes with a matching lid with a silicone gasket, which provides an airtight seal and locks in freshness.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 28 Apr. 2026
Big West regular-season champion Hawaii, which beat Long Beach on its home court twice in the regular season, and MIVA champion Ball State (25-4) appear to be locks for the other top-four seeds.
—Oc Register, 26 Apr. 2026
To elevate your locks abroad, try a French Hairpin from Kitsch.
—Jamie Davis Smith, Travel + Leisure, 25 Apr. 2026
Our Stainless Steel Step Garbage Bin stays so much cleaner than a regular garbage bin; the stainless steel lid locks odors inside, so your trash never smells.
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Apr. 2026
Digital rights management is similarly criticized for giving rights holders too much power to control information by creating digital locks that cannot legally be bypassed.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 Apr. 2026
Should five of these eight hear their names called on top of the five locks, UM would have double-digit draftees for the first time since 2002 when 11 Hurricanes players were selected.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2026
Note the control and tightness of the hatched lines on the cheek, and the way the mark loosens with the locks of hair right next to it, like wind rushing around a building.
—Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for locks
Verb
-
Bad things happen when an AI chatbot latches onto one of your neuroses.—
Frank Landymore,
Futurism,
8 Apr. 2026
-
As the Ivorian latches onto the through pass, Ryan Longman appears into shot, finishing first-time from a cutback to put the away side into the lead.—
Thom Harris,
New York Times,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Create a sense of privacy in a home that is exposed to the street with a high privacy wall that wraps from the front to the sides and back of your property.—
Kristin Hohenadel,
The Spruce,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The exterior zipper stylishly wraps around the sides, opening wide for easy access to your phone and everyday essentials.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
23 Apr. 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 cushions are bouncy and covered in a fade-resistant material, and when not in use, the chair folds to save space.—
Shea Simmons,
Southern Living,
21 Apr. 2026
-
The folding lock design, such as the Kryptonite Kryptolok Folding Bicycle Lock, folds down to a small size for transport.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
Louisa completely shuts her down, which is one of several reasons Louisa would not be fun to hang out with.—
Alice Burton,
Vulture,
20 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 1 May. 2026.
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