foreclose
verb
fore·close
(ˌ)fȯr-ˈklōz 
foreclosed; foreclosing; forecloses
1
: to shut out : preclude
2
: to hold exclusively
3
: to deal with or close in advance
4
: to subject to foreclosure proceedings
: to foreclose a mortgage
Examples of foreclose in a Sentence
They've been unable to make their mortgage payments, and the bank has threatened to foreclose.
The bank has threatened to foreclose their mortgage.
Recent Examples on the Web
In New York, mortgages can take years to foreclose because New York is in the minority of states that always require judicial proceedings to foreclose.
—
Joshua Stein, Forbes, 26 Sep. 2024
He’s been trying to sell for 16 years and now a bank is trying to foreclose.
—Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 10 Sep. 2024
The city had foreclosed and taken ownership of the property on June 14, and the employee went there to perform a standard walkthrough of the home.
—Chris Ramirez, Journal Sentinel, 27 Sep. 2024
The developer that turned the old downtown Dayton's department store into a massive office and retail complex is in jeopardy of losing the building as its lender attempts to foreclose on the property.
—Nick Halter, Axios, 2 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for foreclose 
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Joshua Stein, Forbes, 26 Sep. 2024
He’s been trying to sell for 16 years and now a bank is trying to foreclose.
—Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 10 Sep. 2024
The city had foreclosed and taken ownership of the property on June 14, and the employee went there to perform a standard walkthrough of the home.
—Chris Ramirez, Journal Sentinel, 27 Sep. 2024
The developer that turned the old downtown Dayton's department store into a massive office and retail complex is in jeopardy of losing the building as its lender attempts to foreclose on the property.
—Nick Halter, Axios, 2 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for foreclose
Dictionary Entries Near foreclose
Cite this Entry
“Foreclose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foreclose. Accessed 19 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
foreclose
verb
fore·close
(ˈ)fōr-ˈklōz
(ˈ)fȯr-
: to take legal measures to end a mortgage and take possession of the mortgaged property because the conditions of the mortgage have not been met
foreclosure
noun
-ˈklō-zhər
Legal Definition
foreclose
verb
fore·close
fōr-ˈklōz
: to subject to foreclosure proceedings
: to foreclose a mortgage or other security interest compare repossess, seize sense 2
Etymology
Anglo-French forclos, past participle of foreclore to preclude, prevent, from fors outside + clore to close
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