LOCKUP Synonyms: 95 Similar and Opposite Words

lock (up) 1 of 2

verb

Definition of lock (up)

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!

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

lockup

2 of 2

noun

ˈläk-ˌəp

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

outside

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)

Noun

Typically, a company will instill a 180-day lockup period before pre-IPO shares become eligible to trade. — John Towfighi, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026 More than 911 million SpaceX shares held by early investors and employees became eligible for sale on Thursday as a lockup period for the stock expired. — ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026 The mechanics of that phase, lockups, secondary markets, continuation funds, and the pressure venture firms are under to finally return capital to their own investors, are becoming just as important to understand as the IPOs themselves. — Steven Dudash, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026 The next major test of investor confidence will come Thursday this week, Mould said, when the first investor lockup expiry takes effect, and more than 900 million shares could potentially become available for sale. — Hugh Leask, CNBC, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for lock (up)

Recent Examples of Synonyms for lock (up)

Verb

His brother, Jianquan Bo, is now jailed on murder and kidnapping charges and has pleaded not guilty.

— Hailey Wang, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026
Wednesday marked three years since Pakistan’s most popular politician, Imran Khan, was jailed on various charges after his relations with the military publicly broke down.

— Hasan Ali, Christian Science Monitor, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of jail

Noun

The rapper, born Kentrell Gaulden, was sentenced to 23 months in federal prison with credit for time served dating back to at least May 2024.

— Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 14 Aug. 2026
Clancy, who has pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder, could face life in prison if convicted.

— Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of prison

Verb

Gilman was one of at least 10 Americans known to be imprisoned in Russia.

— Henry Austin, NBC news, 11 Aug. 2026
This is probably part of why, in 2024, the New York State Department of Corrections placed prisons on lockdown and let the guards watch the eclipse, but would not let tens of thousands of the imprisoned see it.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of imprison

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locks (up)

lock (up)

lockup

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“Lock (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lock%20%28up%29. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of lock (up)

verb

noun

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