lock·out
ˈläk-ˌau̇t 
: the withholding of employment by an employer and the whole or partial closing of the business establishment in order to gain concessions from or resist demands of employees
locked out; locking out; locks out
: to subject (a body of employees) to a lockout
Examples of lockout in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Jennifer Jolly, USA Today, 18 June 2025
Agents autonomously handle common customer issues (e.g., account lockouts, password resets and basic inquiries), manage ticket routing and escalate complex problems to appropriate personnel.
—Abhishek Shivanna, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
Margot MacHol Bisnow, Forbes.com, 29 July 2025
When Lebanese depositors were locked out of their savings in 2019 after a financial meltdown crippled the country and its currency, Hezbollah remained able to fund its base and illicit activities.
—Natasha Turak,emma Graham, CNBC, 29 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for lockout
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.
Noun
Other litigation encompasses a wide range of issues, including biometric privacy violations, pig-butchering scams, and account lockouts.
—Jennifer Jolly, USA Today, 18 June 2025
Agents autonomously handle common customer issues (e.g., account lockouts, password resets and basic inquiries), manage ticket routing and escalate complex problems to appropriate personnel.
—Abhishek Shivanna, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
Verb
But the real key is to think ahead before you’re locked out of a critical market.
—Margot MacHol Bisnow, Forbes.com, 29 July 2025
When Lebanese depositors were locked out of their savings in 2019 after a financial meltdown crippled the country and its currency, Hezbollah remained able to fund its base and illicit activities.
—Natasha Turak,emma Graham, CNBC, 29 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for lockout
Cite this Entry
“Lockout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lockout. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
lockout
noun
lock·out
-ˌau̇t
: the stopping of work or closing of a plant by an employer during a labor dispute in order to make the employees come to terms
Legal Definition
lockout
noun
lock·out
ˈläk-ˌau̇t
: the withholding of employment by an employer in order to gain concessions from or resist demands of employees
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share