forfeiture

noun

for·​fei·​ture ˈfȯr-fə-ˌchu̇r How to pronounce forfeiture (audio)
-chər,
-ˌt(y)u̇r
1
: the act of forfeiting : the loss of property or money because of a breach of a legal obligation
assets subject to forfeiture
2
: something (such as money or property) that is forfeited : penalty

Examples of forfeiture in a Sentence

the forfeiture for early withdrawal of the investment savings will be an amount equal to 10 percent of the investment
Recent Examples on the Web Still, the government seized Lara’s money through civil forfeiture. Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes, 19 Oct. 2024 Earlier this year, a U.S. court sentenced him to 90 months in prison and ordered him to pay more than $6 million in forfeiture and more than $5 million in restitution. Vinamrata Chaturvedi, Quartz, 10 Oct. 2024 He was sentenced to 25 years in prison in March and also was ordered to pay $11 billion in forfeiture by Kaplan. Mackenzie Sigalos,dan Mangan,dawn Giel, CNBC, 24 Sep. 2024 The forfeitures began after months of speculation in conservative websites about the gender identity of one of SJSU’s players. Jo Yurcaba, NBC News, 4 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for forfeiture 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'forfeiture.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of forfeiture was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near forfeiture

Cite this Entry

“Forfeiture.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forfeiture. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

forfeiture

noun
for·​fei·​ture ˈfȯr-fə-ˌchu̇(ə)r How to pronounce forfeiture (audio)
-chər
1
: the act of forfeiting
2
: something forfeited : penalty

Legal Definition

forfeiture

noun
for·​fei·​ture ˈfȯr-fə-ˌchu̇r How to pronounce forfeiture (audio)
1
: the loss of a right, money, or especially property because of one's criminal act, default, or failure or neglect to perform a duty compare waiver
2
: something (as money or property) that is forfeited as a penalty
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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