Word
landlocked
Phoneticsland·locked, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈɫændˌɫɑkt/
UK/lˈændlɒkt/
Geography
Definition
adj. describing a country or place that is completely surrounded by land and has no direct access to the ocean. You use this to talk about places that must travel through other countries to reach the sea.
adj. situated entirely within a landmass and having no direct access to an ocean or sea. Often used to describe the geographical constraints of a nation's trade and transport.
Examples
“Bolivia is a landlocked country in South America.”
“Because it is a landlocked nation, the government invested heavily in rail infrastructure to facilitate international trade.”
“The economic development of many landlocked states is significantly hindered by the high tariffs and transit costs imposed by the coastal nations they must pass through to reach global markets.”
Examples
simple
“Bolivia is a landlocked country in South America.”
contextual
“Because it is a landlocked nation, the government invested heavily in rail infrastructure to facilitate international trade.”
complex
“The economic development of many landlocked states is significantly hindered by the high tariffs and transit costs imposed by the coastal nations they must pass through to reach global markets.”
Real-World Examples
“The warmth of these seas led them to rise and repeatedly spill over continents—places that are landlocked today used to be coastline.” “In June, a 30-year-old Iranian woman with a blood disorder that made her so weak she needed a walker was told she would be sent to the landlocked south African nation of Eswatini.” Etymology
From land + locked (i.e. "locked-in by land on all sides").
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
ADJECTIVE
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/landlocked