lockdown

/ˈlɒkˌdaʊn/

//ˈlɒkˌdaʊn// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"lockdown" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“lockdown” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #14,582 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#14,582
frequency rank, English
8
letters
13
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The confinement of people in their own rooms (e.g., in a school) or cells (in a prison), or to their own homes or areas (e.g., in the case of a city- or nation-wide issue) as a security measure aft...

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

lockdown vs lowdown
75% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for lockdown
PropertyValue
Headwordlockdown
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈlɒkˌdaʊn/
Letters8
Frequency rank#14,582
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “lockdown” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). lockdown lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for lockdown is 8 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈlɒkˌdaʊn/. Corpus data places it at rank #14,582 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for lockdown, with forms such as "lcokdown", "llockdown", and "locckdown". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "lowdown", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Deverbal from lock down. The correct English form is lockdown, spelled L-O-C-K-D-O-W-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    The confinement of people in their own rooms (e.g., in a school) or cells (in a prison), or to their own homes or areas (e.g., in the case of a city- or nation-wide issue) as a security measure after or amid a disturbance or as a non-pharmaceutical intervention in a pandemic.
  2. 2
    A contrivance to fasten logs together in rafting.

Etymology

Deverbal from lock down.

This word in other languages

confinamiento(Español)confinement(Français)Lockdown(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: lcokdown,llockdown,locckdown,locdkown,lockddown,lockdonw,lockdownn,lockdowwn,lockdwon,lockkdown,lockodwn,lokcdown,olckdown

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of lockdown - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

lcokdown2llockdown1locckdown1locdkown2lockddown1lockdonw2lockdownn1lockdowwn1
Edit distance from "lockdown"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "lockdown"?
"lockdown" is spelled L-O-C-K-D-O-W-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈlɒkˌdaʊn/.
What does "lockdown" mean?
As a noun, "lockdown" means: The confinement of people in their own rooms (e.g., in a school) or cells (in a prison), or to their own homes or areas (e.g., in the case of a city- or nation-wide issue) as a security measure aft...
What words are commonly confused with "lockdown"?
"lockdown" is commonly confused with "lowdown". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "lockdown"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "lockdown" is /ˈlɒkˌdaʊn/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "lockdown"?
Deverbal from lock down. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “lockdown”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is L-O-C-K-D-O-W-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈlɒkˌdaʊn/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “lowdown” - see the side-by-side comparison. lockdown vs lowdown
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list