lock away
phrasal verb
locked away; locking away; locks away
1
: to put (something) in a locked container, place, etc.
The jewelry was locked away in a cabinet.
2
: to put (someone) in a locked place (such as a prison) for a long period of time
lock away a criminal
The state locked their sister away in a psychiatric hospital.
3
: to keep (oneself) alone in a room or place for a long period of time
He locked himself away in his room while he studied.
He was locked away in his room while he studied.
Examples of lock away in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
For nearly 35 years, a one-of-a-kind art show was locked away in shipping containers and never viewed in the way its creators intended.
—
Melissa Adan, ABC News, 2 Apr. 2024
Once ransomware uses encryption to lock away your files and data without a key, the losses can be as catastrophic as those in an uncontrolled fire.
—Neil McAllister, PCMAG, 31 Mar. 2024
And Bob, having been jolted out of his numbness, is finally able to open up about the painful and difficult feelings he’s kept locked away for so long, first to Lily and then eventually to Jeanie.
—Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Mar. 2024
But logistical issues closed the park and locked away the artwork—until now.
—Jenna Anderson, Sunset Magazine, 12 Jan. 2024
Dunst is capable of summoning deep wells of emotion with just a look, but Lee’s inner world is largely locked away.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 15 Mar. 2024
The academy recommends guns be locked away and ammunition locked and stored separately.
—Drake Bentley, Journal Sentinel, 11 Mar. 2024
Like those ancient plants captured CO2 and then turned into coal, this is carbon naturally sequestered from the atmosphere, then locked away for (ideally) thousands of years.
—Matt Simon, WIRED, 10 Jan. 2024
Those that hit the spot get locked away in the Cabinet of Curiosities to be released at some point.
—Amber Love Bond, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024
Melissa Adan, ABC News, 2 Apr. 2024
Once ransomware uses encryption to lock away your files and data without a key, the losses can be as catastrophic as those in an uncontrolled fire.
—Neil McAllister, PCMAG, 31 Mar. 2024
And Bob, having been jolted out of his numbness, is finally able to open up about the painful and difficult feelings he’s kept locked away for so long, first to Lily and then eventually to Jeanie.
—Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Mar. 2024
But logistical issues closed the park and locked away the artwork—until now.
—Jenna Anderson, Sunset Magazine, 12 Jan. 2024
Dunst is capable of summoning deep wells of emotion with just a look, but Lee’s inner world is largely locked away.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 15 Mar. 2024
The academy recommends guns be locked away and ammunition locked and stored separately.
—Drake Bentley, Journal Sentinel, 11 Mar. 2024
Like those ancient plants captured CO2 and then turned into coal, this is carbon naturally sequestered from the atmosphere, then locked away for (ideally) thousands of years.
—Matt Simon, WIRED, 10 Jan. 2024
Those that hit the spot get locked away in the Cabinet of Curiosities to be released at some point.
—Amber Love Bond, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lock away.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near lock away
Cite this Entry
“Lock away.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lock%20away. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share