dreadlock

noun

dread·​lock ˈdred-ˌläk How to pronounce dreadlock (audio)
plural dreadlocks
Synonyms of dreadlocknext
1
: a narrow ropelike strand of hair formed by matting, braiding, or twisting : lock
2
dreadlocks ˈdred-ˌläks How to pronounce dreadlock (audio) plural : a hairstyle consisting of dreadlocks : locks
dreadlocked
ˈdred-ˌläkt How to pronounce dreadlock (audio)
adjective

Examples of dreadlock in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Damon Landor had grown dreadlocks for nearly two decades. — Los Angeles Times, 23 June 2026 Emmanuel shook his dreadlocks in disbelief, pointed to the sky, dropped to one knee and slapped the concrete three times. — Ben Church, CNN Money, 25 June 2026 But Shaboozey, dressed in head-to-toe denim with brown suede boots, his dreadlocks hanging loose across his back, is thinking about his mother. — Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 8 June 2026 The head drummer of the colonial fife and drum band was a Black man in a Revolutionary War costume, his dreadlocks peeking from under a powdered wig. — Catherine Simpson Bueker, The Conversation, 1 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for dreadlock

Word History

First Known Use

1960, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dreadlock was in 1960

Rhymes for dreadlock

See All Rhymes for dreadlock

Browse Nearby Words

dreadless
dreadlock
dreadnought
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dreadlock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dreadlock. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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