lock-in
noun
an act or instance of becoming unalterable, unmovable, or rigid.
lock-in
American
[lok-in]
/ ˈlɒkˌɪn /
noun
-
an act or instance of becoming unalterable, unmovable, or rigid.
-
commitment, binding, or restriction.
lock-in
British
noun
lock in
Idioms
-
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]
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.
See Examples For:
There have been signs that the lock-in effect was starting to ease as sellers lost patience and gave up their low rates to move for family reasons or new jobs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
The so-called lock-in effect, where people hold on to ultralow-rate mortgages obtained during the pandemic, “is creating a supply floor which will keep inventory from exploding and will keep prices from dropping dramatically,” she said.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 1, 2026
He suggested an easier approach was to lock-in water savings measures, such as getting a low-flow shower.
From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026
Many of them, with good reason, have earned a questionable reputation for complexity, high fees and sometimes costly lock-in periods.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 31, 2026
As the week dragged on, Friday night and the library lock-in started to remind Kyle of Christmas, too: It felt like they would never come.
From "Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library" by Chris Grabenstein
“And it was like, ‘Hey, we need to see more, we need to see this really lock in.’
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026
European firms have been more wary of slowing down, fearing it could be an attempt by US giants to lock in their dominance.
From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026
“Do I lock in now? Or do I wait and hope that things get better?”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
If an investor used a significant portion of their financial assets to lock in long-term Treasurys, they would be locking in their income, too.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 30, 2026
“As I recall, you didn’t lock in around this time yesterday when I asked you to lock in, isn’t that right?”
From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover
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.
