lockout

1 of 2

noun

lock·​out ˈläk-ˌau̇t 

: 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

Starting at midnight March 19, union employees picketed near the Whiting refinery after BP initiated a lockout as the company and union still haven’t come to a contract agreement. —Michelle L. Quinn, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026

Political data guru Paul Mitchell, who has been running primary election simulations, pegs the chances of a Democratic lockout at 20%. —Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026

Verb

This comes after hundreds of workers were locked out of the BP refinery on March 19 after contract negotiations failed to produce a deal ahead of a midnight deadline. —Jeramie Bizzle, CBS News, 31 Mar. 2026

People aren’t apathetic — they’re locked out. —Justin Rosenstein, Fortune, 29 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1853, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1853, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for lockout

• about
• bailout
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout
• checkout
• closeout
• cutout
• devout
• dropout

Kids Definition

lockout

noun

lock·​out -ˌau̇t 

: 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 

: the withholding of employment by an employer in order to gain concessions from or resist demands of employees