ClimateJuly 8, 2026
lockstep
/ˈlɒk.step/
Definition
A state of rigid, uniform agreement or correlation where two things advance or change in exact synchronization.
Etymology
Derived from the military marching technique where soldiers stand so close that the leg of one person hits the leg of the person in front, forcing them to move in perfect unison. It entered English in the mid-19th century to describe rigid, conformist behavior.
In the news
The article uses the term to question the long-held assumption that economic growth and energy consumption must always increase together in perfect synchronization. The author argues that we have successfully decoupled these, proving they do not need to move in lockstep.
The “soft energy path” at 50: America’s road half-taken
Read the full article ↗Frontier Group