liquidate
verb
liq·ui·date
ˈli-kwə-ˌdāt 
liquidated; liquidating
1
a(1)
: to determine by agreement or by litigation the precise amount of (indebtedness, damages, or accounts)
(2)
: to determine the liabilities (see liability sense 2) and apportion assets toward discharging the indebtedness of
b
: to settle (a debt) by payment or other settlement
liquidate a loan
2
archaic
: to make clear
3
: to do away with especially by killing
was hired to liquidate a certain businessman
4
: to convert (assets) into cash
liquidated his securities
1
: to liquidate debts, damages, or accounts
2
: to determine liabilities (see liability sense 2) and apportion assets toward discharging indebtedness
Synonyms
Examples of liquidate in a Sentence
The owners were ordered to liquidate the company and pay their creditors.
The company is liquidating its assets.
The owners were ordered to liquidate.
The film is about a professional killer who's hired to liquidate a powerful businessman.
Recent Examples on the Web
In Chapter 7 bankruptcy, debtors' nonexempt property is liquidated, with proceeds going to creditors.
—
Jessica Rodriguez, Journal Sentinel, 17 June 2024
Jones had been opposed to liquidating Infowars and in recent days ranted on his show about what could be its impending shutdown, urging his audience to buy his products to support him.
—Jon Passantino, CNN, 14 June 2024
Friday’s decision to liquidate Jones’s personal assets is a pivotal legal moment for the families of the victims of the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., where 20 young children and six adults were murdered.
—Will Sommer, Washington Post, 14 June 2024
Express, which came close to being totally liquidated, is being rescued out of bankruptcy court.
—David Moin, WWD, 14 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for liquidate 
Jessica Rodriguez, Journal Sentinel, 17 June 2024
Jones had been opposed to liquidating Infowars and in recent days ranted on his show about what could be its impending shutdown, urging his audience to buy his products to support him.
—Jon Passantino, CNN, 14 June 2024
Friday’s decision to liquidate Jones’s personal assets is a pivotal legal moment for the families of the victims of the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., where 20 young children and six adults were murdered.
—Will Sommer, Washington Post, 14 June 2024
Express, which came close to being totally liquidated, is being rescued out of bankruptcy court.
—David Moin, WWD, 14 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for liquidate
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'liquidate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near liquidate
Cite this Entry
“Liquidate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/liquidate. Accessed 28 Jun. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
liquidate
verb
liq·ui·date
ˈlik-wə-ˌdāt
liquidated; liquidating
1
: pay off sense 1
liquidate a debt
2
: to put an end to : do away with
Legal Definition
liquidate
verb
liq·ui·date
ˈli-kwə-ˌdāt
liquidated; liquidating
1
: to determine by agreement or litigation the precise amount of
also
: to settle (a debt) by payment or other adjustment
2
a
: to determine the liabilities and apportion the assets of especially in bankruptcy or dissolution
liquidate a corporation
compare bankruptcy
b
: to convert (as assets) into cash
liquidate an estate
: to liquidate something (as a corporation)
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