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” has 13 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #14,582. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#14,582
frequency rank, English
2,297
“L” headwords
13
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 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...

Corpus desk

Index EN-lockdown · lockdown · English

lockdown · rank #14,582 · 13 variants · 1 confusable

  • FREQ-MID #14,582
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 1 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 13 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,297
  • PHOTO-FINISH listener

Nearest frequency peer: listener (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “lockdown”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “lockdown” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

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)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “lockdown”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).lockdownlands here:

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “listener” (#14,581), “mandarin” (#14,583), “LC” (#14,580). Among 2,297 “L” headwords, “lockdown” is #14,582. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 13 spelling variants around lockdown (IPA /ˈlɒkˌdaʊn/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #14,582 among 2,297 “L” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

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.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how lockdown appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. At the time of writing, no decisions had been made by the Government as to when or how lockdown restrictions might begin to be lifted. However, discussions were taking place in the industry about how social distancing could be maintained on the railway if some patronage were to return soon.
  2. Fans relished the traditional FA Cup fanfare from the Coldstream Guards and the hymn Abide With Me before throwing themselves wholeheartedly into an experience they have been largely deprived of since the first coronavirus lockdown began in March 2020.

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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "lockdown", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 8 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

listener#14,581mandarin#14,583mediocre#14,587jeopardy#14,575

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (13 here; floor ≥5).

McCartney13 variantsinhabited13 variantshepatitis13 variantsexercised13 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list