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lockstep

UK /ˈlɒkstɛp/noun, adjective

lockstep is a noun meaning “A step whereby the toe of one man is brought very close to the heel of the man in front” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). It is spelled L-O-C-K-S-T-E-P and has 2 syllables, and it appears about once in every 5 million words in written English (wordfreq, 2021 data). The plural of lockstep is locksteps.

What does lockstep mean?

noun

  1. 1

    A step whereby the toe of one man is brought very close to the heel of the man in front.

  2. 2

    Close connection, unison, rigid synchronization.

  3. 3

    An inflexible, rigid or stifling pattern.

adjective

  1. 1

    In close connection, in unison, synchronized.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

How do you pronounce lockstep?

  • UK /ˈlɒkstɛp/

Lockstep has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-lockstep.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).

Forms of lockstep

  • locksteps plural
  • lock-step
  • lock step

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

How common is lockstep?

Lockstep appears about once in every 5 million words in written English, the 68,248th most frequent word form in the list.

Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).

Words people confuse with lockstep

Also written: lock-step (one word or two).

Sources: English Wiktionary (homophones, alternative spellings).

Lockstep in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese

LanguageWords
Germanbut see Gleichschritt (step whereby the toe of one man is brought very…)
Spanishunísono, sincronización, mismo paso, paralelo (close connection, unison, rigid synchronization)

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.

Where does lockstep come from?

From lock + step.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).