fear locked

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "fear locked" is not a standard expression in written English and may not be widely understood.
It could be used in a context where someone is describing a state of being paralyzed or immobilized by fear. Example: "In that moment, I felt completely fear locked, unable to move or speak."

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

At home, Henriette tells Maloin she found a man in their hut at the seaside, and in fear locked the door and ran home.

Wikipedia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Young Muslim fanatics do not fear death and martyrdom, but they do fear being locked up in a hellish cage.

Forbes

Explaining the appeal of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," the film critic Pauline Kael wrote, in 1975: "We all fear being locked up among the insane, helpless to prove our sanity, perhaps being driven mad; this fear is almost as basic as that of being buried alive.

The New York Times

"People fear being locked into a system," Mr. Chan said.

The New York Times - Tech

Chief Moose was the target of ridicule and frustration for the three weeks that the sniper kept people living in fear and locked inside.

The New York Times

A first kiss has as much to do with the knee-shaking discovery that we exist in a shared universe as it does with the fear of locked braces.

The New York Times

"Amazon could ultimately steamroller everybody," predicts David Linthicum of Cloud Technology Partners, a consultancy.To avoid being left behind in the drift to the cloud, Oracle and Microsoft want to show that their services work well together to win customers who fear being locked into a single firm's products.

The Economist

Now, with the election 10 days away and the race suddenly about even, the usually polite, mild-mannered Mr. Franks seems to fear getting locked in the basement himself and has been screaming and shouting and throwing everything he can get his hands on at the door.

The New York Times

Many party supporters on both sides are, observers fear, already locked into attitudes subversive of democracy, notably the conviction that their side must and will win, and that, if it does not, it will only be because rigging, violence, or other chicanery have deprived them of the victory an honest vote would have brought.

The Guardian - Opinion

And developers may fear getting locked into a relationship with one large telephone company, especially if they are trying to create apps to displace telephone companies in general.

TechCrunch

In effect, RSS proved we don't need to fear the locked trunk, at least not in the classical way it's been defined.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "fear locked", consider the context carefully. It's most effective when describing a sudden, immobilizing reaction to fear.

Common error

Avoid using "fear locked" too frequently in your writing. Since it is not a common phrase, overuse can make your writing sound unnatural or repetitive.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "fear locked" functions as a verb phrase, describing a state of being immobilized or trapped by fear. Ludwig AI indicates it is acceptable but not standard. Examples show its use in narrative contexts to emphasize a character's reaction.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Wiki

8%

Science

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Encyclopedias

3%

Reference

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "fear locked" describes the state of being paralyzed or immobilized by intense fear. Ludwig AI considers it grammatically acceptable, though not widely used, suggesting alternatives like "paralyzed by fear" or "frozen with fear" for clarity and commonality. While it appears mainly in news and media contexts, its infrequent usage suggests cautious application. It is best used to vividly depict a character's immobilizing response to sudden, overwhelming fear.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

paralyzed by fear

This phrase focuses on the immobilizing effect of fear, emphasizing the inability to act.

frozen with fear

This phrase highlights the sudden and complete cessation of movement due to intense fear.

immobilized by fear

Similar to 'paralyzed by fear', this emphasizes the inability to move or take action due to fear.

held captive by fear

This suggests that fear is holding someone prisoner, controlling their actions.

constrained by fear

This indicates that fear is limiting someone's choices or actions.

trapped by fear

This emphasizes the feeling of being stuck or unable to escape a fearful situation.

controlled by fear

This phrase highlights the influence and power of fear over someone's behavior.

dominated by fear

This emphasizes the overwhelming power of fear, suggesting it has complete control.

bound by fear

This suggests a strong and restrictive connection to fear, limiting freedom.

restricted by fear

This indicates that fear is imposing limitations on someone's actions or choices.

FAQs

What does "fear locked" mean?

"Fear locked" describes a state of being paralyzed or immobilized by fear, unable to act or move.

Are there alternatives to using "fear locked"?

Yes, you can use alternatives such as "paralyzed by fear", "frozen with fear", or "immobilized by fear".

Is "fear locked" grammatically correct?

While not a standard or widely recognized phrase, "fear locked" can be considered grammatically acceptable in certain contexts to convey a specific meaning, though it is less common than alternatives.

In what kind of situations is it appropriate to use "fear locked"?

It's appropriate when you want to emphasize a sudden and complete inability to act due to intense fear, suggesting a temporary paralysis or state of being trapped by fear.