Lock In

Definition:

The act of intensely concentrating, focusing, or committing to a task or goal

Context:

The phrase "lock in" was documented back in 2009 on Urban Dictionary as "Get Extra Extra focused on your dream," and is thought by some to have origins in military terminology, such as "locked and loaded" or "target acquired," which suggests a high level of readiness and focus. In 2023 the phrase went viral through memes, often featuring images of individuals with serious or deadpan expressions, symbolizing their "locked in" state.

It has since become a part of everyday speech among Gen-Z (e.g. "I'm locked in," "gotta lock in," etc.) to describe a state of intense concentration or commitment in various contexts, such as sports, academics, video games, or work.

Example:

^{(for legal
reasons, all names & events in
the following scenario have been made up)}

*before literally every assignment deadline*

Anyone: “Hey Zach-”

Zach: “-can't talk, 2 minutes left to submit this! gotta lock in”