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
Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Feb. 2026
The United Steelworkers Union announced on Thursday that its workers should prepare for a strike or lockout at the BP Whiting refinery.
—Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 10 Feb. 2026
Without scholarships or tax credit programs, lower- and middle-income families who seek a better option are effectively locked out.
—Paul Vallas, Chicago Tribune, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lockout
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Noun
If a dish does not sync with a patient, an alarm or lockout is triggered.
—Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Feb. 2026
The United Steelworkers Union announced on Thursday that its workers should prepare for a strike or lockout at the BP Whiting refinery.
—Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
Verb
In a heartbeat, she and colleagues in seven of the department's 10 civil rights offices were locked out and no longer federal employees.
—Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 10 Feb. 2026
Without scholarships or tax credit programs, lower- and middle-income families who seek a better option are effectively locked out.
—Paul Vallas, Chicago Tribune, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lockout
Cite this Entry
“Lockout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lockout. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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
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