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

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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.
For two-and-a-half years, curators from Cinémathèque Française and the Design Museum in London pored over a treasure trove of items locked away in Anderson’s storage facility in Kent, England to create the first museum exhibition of his work. Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 21 Mar. 2025 If theft is so rampant that products must be locked away, perhaps the solution lies in store layout, staffing levels, or security personnel rather than forcing customers to jump through technological hoops. Roger Dooley, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2025 Hard to see who will be able to resist this new feature from Come Play helmer Chase, told from the POV of a loyal terrier devoted to his new owner, Cameron (Quan) who discovers a captive girl (Reinhart) locked away in the basement, becoming her only hope for survival. Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Feb. 2025 The ability of some vacuum sealers to work with mason jars and canisters also means that things like sauces, jams, and dry goods can be locked away in airtight conditions too. Adam Campbell-Schmitt, Bon Appétit, 27 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lock away

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“Lock away.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lock%20away. Accessed 27 Mar. 2025.

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