lockdown

noun

lock·​down ˈläk-ˌdau̇n 

plural lockdowns

1

: the confinement of prisoners to their cells for all or most of the day as a temporary security measure

2

a

: an emergency measure or condition in which people are temporarily prevented from entering or leaving a restricted area or building (such as a school) during a threat of danger

For those of you unfamiliar with a school lockdown, it basically means that … when there is a threat of danger, the doors to all the classrooms and offices are locked.

—Anne Sponholtz

lockdown drills/procedures

b

: a temporary condition imposed by governmental authorities (as during the outbreak of an epidemic disease) in which most people are required to refrain from or limit activities outside the home involving public contact (such as dining out or attending large gatherings)

Authorities placed the central Chinese city under lockdown on Jan. 23 after the virus had infected hundreds of residents and was just starting its spread across the globe.

—Darryl Coote

The San Francisco Bay Area lockdown and national guidelines signal a rapid escalation of government and business efforts to halt the coronavirus spread via restrictions that will slam the brakes on economic activity.

—Ed Carson

While most people are at home during lockdown, essential workers are still on the front lines and need their children to be looked after.

—George Heagney

Examples of lockdown in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Chronister, the sheriff in Hillsborough County, Fla., had been criticized by conservatives over his record on immigration and his having arrested a mega-church pastor who defied a COVID-19 lockdown. —Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 8 Dec. 2024

The state's sizable hospitality sector resulted in it being hit especially hard by COVID lockdowns, unemployment rocketing to 30.6 percent in April of 2020, well above any other state and over double the national average at that time. —Hugh Cameron, Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2024

The big picture: Some conservatives criticized the nomination three days ago because of the Tampa-area sheriff's decision to enforce COVID lockdowns during the pandemic. —Rebecca Falconer, Axios, 3 Dec. 2024

At the height of the first Covid lockdown in April 2020, an elderly war veteran set himself the target of walking 100 laps of his daughter's garden before his 100th birthday. —The Week Uk, theweek, 30 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1973, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

lockdown

noun

lock·​down

ˈläk-ˌdau̇n

1

: the confinement of prisoners to their cells as a security measure

2

a

: an emergency measure in which people are temporarily prevented from entering or leaving a restricted area during a threat of danger

b

: a temporary condition imposed by government authorities (as during the outbreak of an epidemic disease) in which people are required to stay in their homes and refrain from or limit activities outside the home (as dining out)

Legal Definition

lockdown

noun

lock·​down ˈläk-ˌdau̇n 

: the confinement of prisoners to their cells for a temporary period as a security measure