1
as in certainty
one that is certain to succeed
the governor is regarded as a lock for his party's presidential nomination
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lock
Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 8 Jan. 2026
During the pandemic, the central bank bought hundreds billion of dollars worth of the securities, which helped contribute to the ultra-low mortgage rates many Americans were able to lock in during those years.
—Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 8 Jan. 2026
Justin Chang, New Yorker, 30 Jan. 2026
The singer and actress, 32, traded her usual long locks for an edgy pixie cut for The Bare Magazine.
—Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lock
Verb
In order to apply AI to their often massive enterprises, big businesses need to lock in their data infrastructure.
—Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 8 Jan. 2026
During the pandemic, the central bank bought hundreds billion of dollars worth of the securities, which helped contribute to the ultra-low mortgage rates many Americans were able to lock in during those years.
—Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 8 Jan. 2026
Noun
The two men first lock eyes in a pub on a winter’s night, where Colin is instantly smitten.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 30 Jan. 2026
The singer and actress, 32, traded her usual long locks for an edgy pixie cut for The Bare Magazine.
—Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lock
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lock
Verb
-
Like the most treacherous toadies from literature — Iago, Wormtongue, Tywin Lannister — Miller managed to shove aside rivals to latch onto his master’s ear and guide him toward more evil.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Jan. 2026
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Rhine and other backers of the fees latched onto another line in the report that said the charges contribute to less than 5% of total development costs.—
Stephen Hobbs,
Sacbee.com,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Production is underway in Los Angeles and is slated to wrap during the second week of February.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
3 Feb. 2026
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These naysayers imply that Boca is wrapped in some sort of grand conspiracy because the city considers, subject to public vote, a new source of additional revenue measuring in the billions of dollars while improving our downtown.—
Marc Wigder,
Sun Sentinel,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
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If anything, this incident suggests that premature certainty may have extended beyond the officer involved to those who rushed to defend his actions.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
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This genetic certainty has made the disease especially devastating for families, which may watch the illness unfold in one generation while younger relatives live for years under the shadow of uncertainty about their own future.—
William A. Haseltine,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Dozens will enter and leave daily at first The Rafah crossing has been largely shut since Israel seized it in May 2024.—
Samy Magdy,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Feb. 2026
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The crash decimated homes and vehicles, forcing families from their homes and businesses to shut their doors.—
Alexandra Simon,
CBS News,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Sony Music bought the label in 2004, and RCA folded in 2011 alongside Arista Records.—
Ethan Millman,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Finely chop a few bars to fold into the cream cheese icing.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Still, the case for measles’ continuous transmission can’t yet be considered a slam dunk.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Lester does not have a slam dunk case.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
25 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The goal is to let developers of all skill levels build and deploy agentic workflows with governance embedded by default, rather than bolted on after the fact.—
Victor Dey,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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Many tasks are still completed by hand, from sewing the dashboard leather to bolting in suspension components, but automated electric transports are used to deliver parts and move vehicles between workstations.—
Tim Pitt,
Robb Report,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Set it on a bookshelf or plant stand, wrap its vines on picture frames or shelves, and your hoya will slowly twine up them.—
Leanne Potts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 Jan. 2026
-
No gloom-dark tree-glitter winding and twining its silks.—
The Atlantic Culture Desk,
The Atlantic,
26 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lock.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lock. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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