bankrupt

1 of 3

noun

bank·​rupt ˈbaŋk-(ˌ)rəpt 

1

a

: a debtor (such as an individual or an organization) whose property is subject to voluntary or involuntary administration under the bankruptcy laws for the benefit of the debtor's creditors

b

: a person who becomes insolvent

2

: a person who is completely lacking in a particular desirable quality or attribute

a moral bankrupt

bankrupt

2 of 3

adjective

1

a

: reduced to a state of financial ruin : impoverished

specifically : legally declared bankrupt

the company went bankrupt

b

: of or relating to bankrupts or bankruptcy

bankrupt laws

2

a

: broken, ruined

a bankrupt professional career

b

: exhausted of valuable qualities : sterile

a bankrupt old culture

c

: destitute

—used with of or in

bankrupt of all merciful feelings

bankrupt

3 of 3

verb

bankrupted; bankrupting; bankrupts

transitive verb

1

: to reduce to bankruptcy

2

: impoverish

defections had bankrupted the party of its brainpower

Synonyms

Adjective

• bare
• barren
• bereft
• destitute
• devoid
• void

Verb

• break
• bust
• ruin

Choose the Right Synonym for bankrupt

deplete, drain, exhaust, impoverish, bankrupt mean to deprive of something essential to existence or potency.

deplete implies a reduction in number or quantity so as to endanger the ability to function.

depleting our natural resources

drain implies a gradual withdrawal and ultimate deprivation of what is necessary to an existence.

personal tragedy had drained him of all spirit

exhaust stresses a complete emptying.

her lecture exhausted the subject

impoverish suggests a deprivation of something essential to richness or productiveness.

impoverished soil

bankrupt suggests impoverishment to the point of imminent collapse.

war had bankrupted the nation of resources

Examples of bankrupt in a Sentence

Noun

As a lawyer, she specialized in working with bankrupts.

Adjective

The lawsuit could leave them bankrupt.

the company's product development team was bankrupt of ideas

Verb

Several risky deals bankrupted the company.

several bad investments bankrupted him

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

If this continues, the country will become de facto bankrupt. —Newsweek, 6 Mar. 2025

The fund filed a petition for composition with creditors in February 2018, which was revoked in June 2018 by the Florence court, which declared Malo bankrupt. —Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019

Adjective

The city was bankrupt, dirty, and dangerous but also teeming with artistic voices. —Air Mail, 3 May 2025

With Rite Aid bankrupt, Cramer alleged that CVS stands largely unchallenged. —Julie Coleman, CNBC, 15 Apr. 2025

Verb

But that only attracted sharp bettors, who nearly bankrupted the startup. —Will Yakowicz, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025

Judge Clark’s ruling in Missouri v. Jenkins demanded the state pay $1.8 billion, nearly bankrupting Kansas City, and today leaves the 39,000-student school system still struggling to improve academic turnouts for minorities. —Jeanne Allen, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

modification of Middle French & Old Italian; Middle French banqueroute bankruptcy, from Old Italian bancarotta, from banca bank + rotta broken, from Latin rupta, feminine of ruptus, past participle of rumpere to break — more at bank, reave

First Known Use

Noun

1638, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1565, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

circa 1625, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing bankrupt

• go bankrupt
• morally bankrupt

Kids Definition

bankrupt

1 of 3 noun

bank·​rupt ˈbaŋ-(ˌ)krəpt 

: an individual or group who becomes bankrupt

especially : one whose property by court order is turned over to be managed for the benefit of the creditors

bankrupt

2 of 3 adjective

1

: unable to pay one's debts

2

: legally declared bankrupt

the company went bankrupt

bankrupt

3 of 3 verb

: to make bankrupt

Legal Definition

bankrupt

1 of 3 noun

bank·​rupt ˈbaŋ-ˌkrəpt 

: a debtor (as an individual or organization) whose property is subject to administration under the bankruptcy laws for the benefit of the debtor's creditors

was adjudicated a bankrupt

see also debtor

bankrupt

2 of 3 adjective

: ruined financially

especially : judicially declared a bankrupt

the company is bankrupt

compare insolvent

bankrupt

3 of 3 transitive verb

: to reduce to bankruptcy

was bankrupted by attorney's fees