an act or instance of becoming unalterable, unmovable, or rigid.
commitment, binding, or restriction.
Enclose, surround, as in The ship was completely locked in ice . [c. 1400s]
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]
First recorded in 1965–70; noun use of verb phrase lock in
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The companies have begun striking long-term agreements with purchasers, allowing the manufacturers to lock in elevated pricing levels for several years, though also potentially limiting further pricing upside with those customers in the near term.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 8, 2026
What was the thing that really helped you lock in to who he was?
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2026
When the news sent crude-oil prices rocketing, he logged on to Hyperliquid and closed his position to lock in a massive 243% gain.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026
MarketWatch Picks: Some CDs are still paying 4% and 5% APYs and up — and these are the 8 questions to ask before you lock in.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 1, 2026
He couldn’t get it to snap and lock in place, and it kept flying open every time he tried to step into the bus.
From "The Boy in the Black Suit" by Jason Reynolds
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.
