lockout

1 of 2

noun

lock·​out ˈläk-ˌau̇t How to pronounce lockout (audio)
: 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

lock out

2 of 2

verb

locked out; locking out; locks out

transitive verb

: to subject (a body of employees) to a lockout

Examples of lockout 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.
Noun
School continues as normal during a lockout, Nieman said, but no visitors are allowed inside. Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Mar. 2025 Ovechkin might have debuted when Curry was a junior and might have passed Gretzky by now if not for the 2004-05 owner’s lockout that canceled the entire season. Larry Fleisher, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025
Verb
California has been in a years-long housing crisis because of high costs, low inventory and relatively few new houses being built, locking out many potential homeowners. Ross Rosenfeld, Newsweek, 26 Feb. 2025 Ingrassia complained to associates earlier this month that he had been locked out of his Justice Department devices, said sources. Katherine Faulders, ABC News, 24 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lockout

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1853, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1853, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lockout was in 1853

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lockout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lockout. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

lockout

noun
lock·​out -ˌau̇t How to pronounce lockout (audio)
: 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 How to pronounce lockout (audio)
: the withholding of employment by an employer in order to gain concessions from or resist demands of employees

More from Merriam-Webster on lockout

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