lockdown

noun

UK /ˈlɒk.daʊn/

US /ˈlɑːk.daʊn/

A time when people must stay inside because it is not safe to go out.

During the storm, the school went into lockdown and everyone stayed in their classrooms.

SYNONYMS

confinement quarantine shutdown isolation

RELATED WORDS

emergency safety shelter restriction curfew

OTHER MEANINGS

2. A situation in prison where prisoners are kept in their cells for most of the day.

The prison was on lockdown after the fight.

3. A period when a country or area is closed to travel and business to stop a disease from spreading.

The city went into lockdown to slow the virus.

4. A state in which a computer system or account is locked to stop anyone from using it.

The bank put a lockdown on the account after the suspicious login.