lockdown: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
High (especially post-2020)Formal, Journalistic, Technical, Everyday
Quick answer
What does “lockdown” mean?
A state of isolation or restricted movement imposed on people or a place, typically for security or safety reasons, to prevent the spread of danger (e.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A state of isolation or restricted movement imposed on people or a place, typically for security or safety reasons, to prevent the spread of danger (e.g., disease, violence).
A protocol or period during which normal activities are severely limited. In computing, it can refer to restricting software or network permissions. In prisons, it means confining inmates to cells.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. Both varieties use it identically in modern contexts. Historically, 'lockdown' may have been more frequent earlier in US prison terminology.
Connotations
Equally strong connotations of restriction, emergency, and collective experience in both varieties post-pandemic.
Frequency
Usage frequency skyrocketed equally in both varieties from 2020 onwards. It was a lower-frequency technical term before that.
Grammar
How to Use “lockdown” in a Sentence
The government imposed a lockdown (on the city).The country went into lockdown.The school is under lockdown.They lockdown the prison.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “lockdown” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The governor can lockdown the entire prison if violence erupts.
- They decided to lockdown the building as a precaution.
American English
- The warden ordered to lockdown the facility immediately.
- The protocol requires us to lockdown all systems.
adverb
British English
- This is not typically used as an adverb.
American English
- This is not typically used as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- We all have lockdown haircuts now.
- She wrote a lockdown diary.
American English
- We gained some lockdown weight.
- They had a lockdown birthday party over Zoom.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
"The lockdown caused severe disruption to our supply chains."
Academic
"The study examined the psychological effects of prolonged pandemic lockdowns."
Everyday
"We binge-watched so many series during the lockdown."
Technical
"The IT department initiated a network lockdown after the security breach."
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “lockdown”
Neutral
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “lockdown”
- Using 'lockdown' for a voluntary stay-at-home day. (Incorrect: *I had a personal lockdown yesterday.)
- Using it as a verb for everyday locking. (Incorrect: *I lockdown my car.) The verb is rare and institutional.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. A curfew restricts movement during specific hours (usually nighttime). A lockdown is typically a 24/7 restriction on movement and activity, often confining people to their homes.
Yes, but it is less common and mostly used in institutional contexts (e.g., prisons, IT security). In everyday speech, we usually say 'go into lockdown' or 'impose a lockdown'.
Quarantine specifically isolates people exposed to a disease. Lockdown is a broader restriction applied to a whole population or area, regardless of exposure, to prevent transmission.
It was adopted globally in 2020 by governments and media to describe the severe, mandatory restrictions on public life to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, moving it from a technical term to everyday vocabulary.
A state of isolation or restricted movement imposed on people or a place, typically for security or safety reasons, to prevent the spread of danger (e.
Lockdown is usually formal, journalistic, technical, everyday in register.
Lockdown: in British English it is pronounced /ˈlɒkdaʊn/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈlɑːkdaʊn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Lockdown blues”
- “Lockdown hair (humorous)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a door being LOCKED and someone being kept DOWN inside — a lockdown keeps people down in their homes or cells.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOCIETY IS A PRISON (during a lockdown); PUBLIC HEALTH IS WAR (lockdown as a tactical measure).
Practice
Quiz
In which context would 'lockdown' LEAST likely be used?