lock-in
Americannoun
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an act or instance of becoming unalterable, unmovable, or rigid.
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commitment, binding, or restriction.
noun
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Enclose, surround, as in The ship was completely locked in ice . [c. 1400s]
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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.
Lowe’s and Home Depot cited high housing costs, a “lock-in effect,” and economic uncertainty, expecting pressures to persist.
From Barron's
“A persistent lock-in effect remains in place, keeping housing turnover and new home starts under pressure, leading us to expect improvement in both the housing and home improvement markets to be gradual,” Barron’s previously reported CEO Marvin R. Ellison said on the call.
From Barron's
The so-called lock-in effect is showing signs of easing and buyers are seeing more options and price cuts, he noted.
From MarketWatch
In 2024, existing-home sales were 4.06 million, the lowest level since 1995, largely due to mortgage rate lock-in.
From Barron's
The structural lock-in gets worse.
From MarketWatch
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.
