lockdown
noun
lock·down
ˈläk-ˌdau̇n 
plural lockdowns
1
: the confinement of prisoners to their cells for all or most of the day as a temporary security measure
2
a
: an emergency measure or condition in which people are temporarily prevented from entering or leaving a restricted area or building (such as a school) during a threat of danger
For those of you unfamiliar with a school lockdown, it basically means that … when there is a threat of danger, the doors to all the classrooms and offices are locked.—
Anne Sponholtz
Anne Sponholtzlockdown drills/procedures
b
: a temporary condition imposed by governmental authorities (as during the outbreak of an epidemic disease) in which most people are required to refrain from or limit activities outside the home involving public contact (such as dining out or attending large gatherings)
Authorities placed the central Chinese city under lockdown on Jan. 23 after the virus had infected hundreds of residents and was just starting its spread across the globe.—Darryl Coote
Darryl CooteThe San Francisco Bay Area lockdown and national guidelines signal a rapid escalation of government and business efforts to halt the coronavirus spread via restrictions that will slam the brakes on economic activity.—Ed Carson
Ed CarsonWhile most people are at home during lockdown, essential workers are still on the front lines and need their children to be looked after.—George Heagney
George HeagneyExamples of lockdown in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Herrmann started the experiment in Manchester, during Britain’s first COVID lockdown, in the spring of 2020.
—Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2025
What To Know Federal prison consultant Sam Mangel told the Daily Mail that MDC Brooklyn was placed on lockdown after a riot involving more than 40 people.
—Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 6 Mar. 2025
The shooting prompted the North Hills campus to go on lockdown as Los Angeles Police Department officers responded to the scene.
—Salvador Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2025
The incident occurred at South Brunswick High School shortly after 2 p.m., when two students reported the threats to a school resource officer, who abruptly put the school on lockdown.
—David Matthews, New York Daily News, 5 Mar. 2025
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Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2025
What To Know Federal prison consultant Sam Mangel told the Daily Mail that MDC Brooklyn was placed on lockdown after a riot involving more than 40 people.
—Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 6 Mar. 2025
The shooting prompted the North Hills campus to go on lockdown as Los Angeles Police Department officers responded to the scene.
—Salvador Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2025
The incident occurred at South Brunswick High School shortly after 2 p.m., when two students reported the threats to a school resource officer, who abruptly put the school on lockdown.
—David Matthews, New York Daily News, 5 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lockdown
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Cite this Entry
“Lockdown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lockdown. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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lockdown
noun
lock·down
ˈläk-ˌdau̇n
: the confinement of prisoners to their cells for a temporary period as a security measure
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