lock
noun
a device for securing a door, gate, lid, drawer, or the like in position when closed, consisting of a bolt or system of bolts propelled and withdrawn by a mechanism operated by a key, dial, etc.
locking
-
present participleof lock.present participle
A verb form that is used in progressive verb constructions and may also function as a modifier or a gerund.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Most want encampments gone for good, and not by locking people up or punishing them for being poor, but by genuinely helping them to be better.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2026
Back then, when utility funds boomed and then busted, money had poured into sector funds when returns were hot, then sloshed back out when performance went cold, locking in severe losses.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026
Both polls show a difference between the candidates that falls within the margin of error, locking them in a statistical tie.
From Barron's ● Oct. 24, 2026
We’re not talking about locking up and turning off the lights.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026
As I was locking the tack-room door, Grandpa came to me and said, “Come on, let’s see what the town looks like.”
From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls
