lockstep

noun

lock·​step ˈläk-ˌstep How to pronounce lockstep (audio)
Synonyms of lockstepnext
often attributive
1
: a mode of marching in step by a body of persons going one after another as closely as possible
2
: a standard method or procedure that is mindlessly adhered to or that minimizes individuality
see also:
in lockstep

Synonyms of lockstep

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of lockstep in a Sentence

followed the lockstep that had been in his family for generations: prep school, Ivy League university, job on Wall Street
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Shamed into a nine-game conference season to keep in lockstep with their conference rivals, the folks down South have spent time insisting that the sheer toughness of their league makes such demands impossible. — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 30 July 2026 Beyond the tax benefits, gold also gives your Roth exposure to an asset that doesn’t move in lockstep with stocks and bonds. — USA Today, 24 July 2026 Engineering News-Record reported in December that the engineers' society had flagged two problems moving in lockstep. — Dara-Abasi Ita, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026 The heat supercharged the material’s ionic conductivity, smoothing out the current and forcing the lithium to march in perfect, uniform lockstep. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 13 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for lockstep

Word History

First Known Use

1787, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of lockstep was in 1787

Phrases Containing lockstep

Rhymes for lockstep

See All Rhymes for lockstep

Browse Nearby Words

lockspit
lockstep
lock stile
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lockstep.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lockstep. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

lockstep

noun
lock·​step -ˌstep How to pronounce lockstep (audio)
: a way of marching in step in which the marchers are very close one behind the other
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All