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Synonyms

lock-in

American  
[lok-in] / ˈlɒkˌɪn /

noun

  1. an act or instance of becoming unalterable, unmovable, or rigid.

  2. commitment, binding, or restriction.

lock-in British  

noun

  1. an illegal session of selling alcohol in a bar after the time when it should, by law, be closed

"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
lock in Idioms  

  1. Enclose, surround, as in The ship was completely locked in ice . [c. 1400s]

  2. Also, lock into . Fix firmly in position, commit to something. This phrase often occurs as , as in She felt she was locked in a binding agreement , or Many of the stockholders are locked into their present positions . [Mid-1900s]

Etymology

Origin of lock-in

First recorded in 1965–70; noun use of verb phrase lock in

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.

In 2024, existing-home sales were 4.06 million, the lowest level since 1995, largely due to mortgage rate lock-in.

From Barron's • Jan. 27, 2026

"We were his first British radio interview," she says, recalling that he did a lock-in at his studio to show her his latest tracks.

From BBC • Jan. 2, 2026

The lock-in effect has “faded somewhat already,” Divounguy said, as evidenced by more listings hitting the market.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 3, 2025

Now, more Americans are listing their homes, with the lock-in effect easing, and housing starts falling.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 30, 2025

“Is the library lock-in over? Are we supposed to go home now?”

From "Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library" by Chris Grabenstein

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.