buyout

1 of 2

noun

buy·​out ˈbī-ˌau̇t 

1

: an act or instance of buying out

2

: a financial incentive offered to an employee in exchange for an early retirement or voluntary resignation

buy out

2 of 2

verb

bought out; buying out; buys out

transitive verb

1

: to purchase the share or interest of

2

: to purchase the entire stock-in-trade and the goodwill of (a business)

Examples of buyout in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Of the 21 judges who worked at the city’s immigration court in January 2025, nine judges have resigned, taken buyouts or been terminated, a Tribune review found. —Chicago Tribune, 2 Mar. 2026

With the Mavericks seemingly destined for the NBA draft lottery, the veteran sharpshooter had the chance to request a buyout before the league’s playoff eligibility waiver deadline. —Mike Curtis, Dallas Morning News, 1 Mar. 2026

Verb

According to the terms of his deal, the university did not have to buy out the remaining years of his contract because he was fired for cause. —Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 6 Mar. 2026

And Rogers Communications bought out BCE’s stake in Toronto FC parent Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, raising its position in the company to 75%. —Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 5 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1907, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing buyout

• leveraged buyout

Rhymes for buyout

• about
• bailout
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• checkout
• closeout
• cutout
• devout
• dropout
• dugout

Legal Definition

buyout

1 of 2 noun

buy·​out ˈbī-ˌau̇t 

: an act or instance of buying out

buy out

2 of 2 transitive verb

1

: to purchase the share or interest of

2

: to purchase the entire tangible and intangible assets of (a business)