dreadlock

noun

dread·​lock ˈdred-ˌläk How to pronounce dreadlock (audio)
plural dreadlocks
Synonyms of dreadlocknext
1
: a narrow ropelike strand of hair formed by matting, braiding, or twisting : lock
2
dreadlocks ˈdred-ˌläks How to pronounce dreadlock (audio) plural : a hairstyle consisting of dreadlocks : locks
dreadlocked adjective

Examples of dreadlock in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The head drummer of the colonial fife and drum band was a Black man in a Revolutionary War costume, his dreadlocks peeking from under a powdered wig. Catherine Simpson Bueker, The Conversation, 1 July 2026 The robber is a man between 19 and 30, standing about 5 feet 9 inches in height and weighing 140 to 160 pounds, with dreadlocks, police said. Adam Harrington, CBS News, 28 June 2026 Emmanuel shook his dreadlocks in disbelief, pointed to the sky, dropped to one knee and slapped the concrete three times. Ben Church, CNN Money, 25 June 2026 The Supreme Court ruled that a Louisiana prisoner whose dreadlocks were forcibly shaved off by prison guards cannot sue them under a federal law designed to protect the religious rights of prisoners. Brittney Melton, NPR, 24 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for dreadlock

Word History

First Known Use

1960, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dreadlock was in 1960

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Cite this Entry

“Dreadlock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dreadlock. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

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