lock away

phrasal verb

locked away; locking away; locks away
1
: to put (something) in a locked container, place, etc.
The jewelry was locked away in a cabinet.
2
: to put (someone) in a locked place (such as a prison) for a long period of time
lock away a criminal
The state locked their sister away in a psychiatric hospital.
3
: to keep (oneself) alone in a room or place for a long period of time
He locked himself away in his room while he studied.
He was locked away in his room while he studied.

Examples of lock away in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
However, the medications, along with others, are locked away in a building controlled by Chemonics, an organization financed by USAID that has lost access to the site because of the stop-work orders. Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 6 Feb. 2025 In these forms, carbon stays locked away for thousands of years, ocean biochemists estimate. IEEE Spectrum, 26 Dec. 2024 Gold is a surprisingly common metal, but most is locked away deep within Earth's mantle. David Bressan, Forbes, 25 Dec. 2024 Some of the substances have been locked away for decades at the downtown headquarters of the Houston Police Department. Ben Brachfeld, People.com, 16 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lock away

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lock away.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lock%20away. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!