lock away

phrasal verb

locked away; locking away; locks away

1

: to put (something) in a locked container, place, etc.

The jewelry was locked away in a cabinet.

2

: to put (someone) in a locked place (such as a prison) for a long period of time

lock away a criminal

The state locked their sister away in a psychiatric hospital.

3

: to keep (oneself) alone in a room or place for a long period of time

He locked himself away in his room while he studied.

He was locked away in his room while he studied.

Examples of lock away in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

McCall said changing sea patterns due to climate change could impact how far inland bears go throughout the year and recommended locking away waste in order not to attract them. —Amarachi Orie, CNN, 6 Dec. 2024

Mismanagement and neglect meant that the correction officers lost the keys to cells and simply left the men being housed there locked away for months at a time. —Jelani Cobb, Rolling Stone, 4 Dec. 2024

This release of carbon, previously locked away in the frozen ground, further contributes to global warming, potentially accelerating the very process that created the crater in the first place. —Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 29 Nov. 2024

Butter is now so expensive stores have locked away supplies to prevent theft. —Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 28 Nov. 2024