lock out: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Neutral to Formal. Common in workplace, technical, and industrial contexts.
Quick answer
What does “lock out” mean?
To prevent someone from entering a place, typically by locking the door or gate.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To prevent someone from entering a place, typically by locking the door or gate.
To prevent someone from accessing a system, participating in an activity, or being included in a group; also refers to a specific industrial action by employers.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both varieties use the term similarly. Spelling varies: 'lockout' (single word, no hyphen) is more common in American English. The hyphenated form 'lock-out' is more common in British English, especially for the noun.
Connotations
In industrial relations contexts, 'lockout' has a strong negative connotation for workers/labour unions. In technical contexts (e.g., computer security), it is neutral.
Frequency
Frequency is similar. The term is most frequent in industrial relations, IT security, and workplace safety contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “lock out” in a Sentence
[employer/management] lock out [employees/workers][system] locks out [user/account]lock [someone] out (of [something])Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “lock out” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The factory owners threatened to lock out the workers if they did not accept the new terms.
- I've managed to lock myself out of the house again.
American English
- The company locked out the union employees for three weeks.
- The security software will lock you out after three failed password attempts.
adverb
British English
- This feature is not available; it's shown lock-out grey.
American English
- The account was displayed lock-out red on the admin panel.
adjective
British English
- The lock-out period for the new investment fund is six months.
- He faced a lock-out situation after the system update.
American English
- She was hit with a lockout notice for non-payment of rent.
- The lockout policy is strictly enforced by IT.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Refers to an industrial action where employers prevent workers from entering the workplace during a dispute.
Academic
Used in industrial relations, sociology, and labour economics papers.
Everyday
Used for situations like forgetting keys and being unable to enter one's home or car.
Technical
In IT, refers to disabling a user account after too many failed login attempts.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “lock out”
- Using 'lock out' as a noun without a hyphen in BrE (prefer 'lock-out'). Confusing 'lock out' (action by someone else) with 'lock oneself out' (accidental own action).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Lock out' is typically a deliberate action by someone else (e.g., an employer, a system). 'Lock oneself out' is an accidental action you do to yourself (e.g., forgetting your keys).
It depends. The verb is usually two words ('lock out'). The noun can be one word ('lockout', especially AmE) or hyphenated ('lock-out', especially BrE).
Rarely. It almost always implies exclusion, denial, or prevention, which are generally negative. A possible neutral/positive use is in safety contexts, e.g., 'The procedure locks out the machinery to prevent accidents.'
In industrial relations, the opposite action by workers is a 'strike' or 'walkout'.
To prevent someone from entering a place, typically by locking the door or gate.
Lock out is usually neutral to formal. common in workplace, technical, and industrial contexts. in register.
Lock out: in British English it is pronounced /ˌlɒk ˈaʊt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌlɑːk ˈaʊt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Locked out in the cold (variant of 'left out in the cold').”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a LOCK on the OUTside of a door, keeping you out.
Conceptual Metaphor
ACCESS IS ENTRY; DENYING ACCESS IS PHYSICAL EXCLUSION.
Practice
Quiz
In which context would 'lock out' LEAST likely be used?