locked around

USAGE SUMMARY

"locked around" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is secured tightly around something else, often in a circular or constricting manner. Example: The python's coils were locked around the prey, suffocating it into submission.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

38 human-written examples

Their model also predicts that 75percentnt of these habitable planets will be tidally locked around their mother star.

MIT Technology Review

It pounced upon them with an audible crackle; it locked around the windows as if the car had plunged into a black river.

The New Yorker

Wells was a Pennsylvania pizza delivery driver who was killed by a bomb that was locked around his neck as part of a bank robbery plot in 2003.

Independent

It was poignant, undeniably poignant, to watch Masters champion Phil Mickelson with his arms locked around his wife Amy just off the 18th green on Sunday.

The New York Times - Sports

Ms. Hickey was referring to a steel collar that locked around the crane, which prosecutors said fell when the slings snapped.

The New York Times

And we might wonder why, the Mark Morrises of this world aside, we complicit audience members seem perfectly content to applaud male hands locked around female necks.

The New York Times - Arts

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

22 human-written examples

Human cells start to cook, blood thickens, muscles lock around the lungs and the brain is choked of oxygen.

The Guardian

Cohesin rings lock around the sister DNAs at the nascent replication fork in a manner that depends on the stable interaction of the N terminus of the kleisin subunit with the SMC3 ATPase domain.

BioEssays

Left in, your hair may lock around them.

WikiHow

Use your pliers to bend the second wire into a loop that locks around the center loop of your first wire.

WikiHow

He wrote about a couple who placed a bicycle lock around a lamppost and threw their key into the Tiber river.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "locked around", ensure the context clearly indicates what is being secured and what it is being secured to. For example, "The chain was locked around the gate" is more precise than "The chain was locked around."

Common error

Don't use "locked around" when a simpler verb like 'secured' or 'fastened' would be clearer. Overusing the phrase can make your writing sound repetitive.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "locked around" functions primarily as a compound verb phrase, often indicating a state of being fastened, secured, or encircled. It modifies a noun, describing how it is being held or confined, as demonstrated by Ludwig examples.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

44%

Wiki

24%

Science

16%

Less common in

Formal & Business

4%

Academia

4%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "locked around" is a compound verb phrase used to describe something that is physically secured or confined. Ludwig AI confirms that it's a correct and usable phrase in written English. It is most frequently found in News & Media and Wiki contexts, with a neutral register. While grammatically sound, ensure clarity when using "locked around" to avoid ambiguity. Alternatives such as "secured tightly around" or "fastened firmly around" may offer greater precision in certain contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

secured tightly around

Emphasizes the secure fastening or fixing of something around another object.

fastened firmly around

Highlights the strength and stability of the fastening.

encircled tightly by

Focuses on the act of being completely surrounded in a constricting manner.

clasped securely around

Suggests a holding or grasping action with a sense of safety and firmness.

bound closely to

Implies a restriction or constraint in proximity to something else.

wrapped securely about

Indicates a covering or winding action with emphasis on security.

enclosed completely within

Highlights the total containment or surrounding of something.

confined tightly within

Focuses on the act of being restricted or limited inside something.

shackled firmly to

Suggests a restriction or constraint in proximity to something else, like a chain.

tethered closely to

Implies that something is connected in the location in proximity to another object.

FAQs

How can I use "locked around" in a sentence?

You can use "locked around" to describe something that is fastened or secured tightly around another object. For example: "The bicycle chain was locked around the lamppost" or "The wrestler had his arm "locked around the neck" of his opponent".

What's a good alternative to "locked around"?

Depending on the context, alternatives to "locked around" could include "secured tightly around", "fastened firmly around", or "encircled tightly by".

Is it ever incorrect to use "locked around"?

While grammatically correct, "locked around" can sometimes be ambiguous. Ensure the context makes it clear what is being secured and what it is being secured to, to avoid confusion.

What does "locked around" typically imply?

"Locked around" suggests a physical connection or constraint, often in a circular or constricting manner. It implies that something is firmly attached or confined.