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 a series of ever-more-peculiar reports, news first broke that the estate had been foreclosed on and would be auctioned off by a company called Naussany Investments & Private Lending LLC.
—
Katherine McLaughlin, Architectural Digest, 2 Oct. 2024
Politics Is Trump’s hate finally catching up to him?
Aug. 13, 2024
Harris has benefited from a confluence of events, including the late withdrawal by Biden that foreclosed the possibility of a prolonged nominating contest.
—James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2024
These are the most common problems Arizona HOAs can foreclose for $1,200 in fees.
—Shelby Slade, The Arizona Republic, 29 July 2024
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
See all Example Sentences for foreclose 
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Katherine McLaughlin, Architectural Digest, 2 Oct. 2024
Politics Is Trump’s hate finally catching up to him?
Aug. 13, 2024
Harris has benefited from a confluence of events, including the late withdrawal by Biden that foreclosed the possibility of a prolonged nominating contest.
—James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2024
These are the most common problems Arizona HOAs can foreclose for $1,200 in fees.
—Shelby Slade, The Arizona Republic, 29 July 2024
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
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 1 Dec. 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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