lockout

1 of 2

noun

lock·​out ˈläk-ˌau̇t How to pronounce lockout (audio)
: the withholding of employment by an employer and the whole or partial closing of the business establishment in order to gain concessions from or resist demands of employees

lock out

2 of 2

verb

locked out; locking out; locks out

transitive verb

: to subject (a body of employees) to a lockout

Examples of lockout in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
For now, the ride-hailing companies are operating under a summer agreement with the city’s mayor and taxi authority to end lockouts, provided business returns remain acceptable. Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 31 Jan. 2024 According to a Cincinnati Public Schools spokesperson, College Hill Academy and Aiken High School were both placed on lockouts at 1:45 p.m. for less than an hour, meaning the doors to the schools were locked and visitors were not allowed inside but classroom instruction continued. Erin Couch, The Enquirer, 14 Oct. 2024
Verb
Zoom in: Meta has started testing facial recognition to verify the identities of users who are locked out of their Facebook or Instagram accounts, Monika Bickert, Meta's vice president of content policy, told reporters. Sam Sabin, Axios, 21 Oct. 2024 For the longest time, anime was locked out from most international markets. Ollie Barder, Forbes, 16 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for lockout 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lockout.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1853, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1853, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lockout was in 1853

Dictionary Entries Near lockout

Cite this Entry

“Lockout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lockout. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

lockout

noun
lock·​out -ˌau̇t How to pronounce lockout (audio)
: the stopping of work or closing of a plant by an employer during a labor dispute in order to make the employees come to terms

Legal Definition

lockout

noun
lock·​out ˈläk-ˌau̇t How to pronounce lockout (audio)
: the withholding of employment by an employer in order to gain concessions from or resist demands of employees

More from Merriam-Webster on lockout

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