Java: Synchronized and Locks

An intrinsic lock is a lock that every object in Java has.

Intrinsic locks, also known as monitor locks, are built into every Java object. When you use the 'synchronized' keyword on a method or a block, the thread acquires the intrinsic lock of the object before executing. This prevents other threads from entering any synchronized method/block on the same object until the lock is released. For example, synchronizing a method ensures only one thread can execute it at a time.