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airlock

British  
/ ˈɛəˌlɒk /

noun

  1. a bubble in a pipe causing an obstruction or stoppage to the flow

  2. an airtight chamber with regulated air pressure used to gain access to a space that has air under pressure

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.

The weekend-to-work transition became less painful, too: Mondays were like an airlock between my weekend downtime and my workweek of meetings and calls.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 25, 2026

Due to the lack of an airlock on the Crew Dragon, the 13-foot-wide capsule will be depressurized and exposed to space during the walk.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 26, 2024

The moment that struck her the most was leaving the airlock for underwater space walk simulation when the instructor said, “Welcome to space.”

From Seattle Times • Apr. 22, 2024

But jurors said the visit from his mother took place in the family room which was within the airlock, "meaning that secure system was compromised, the location was inappropriate".

From BBC • Dec. 9, 2023

I closed the airlock from the rover side and ended up with a nice, isolated pop-tent.

From "The Martian" by Andy Weir

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