escrow

1 of 2

noun

1
: a deed, a bond, money, or a piece of property held in trust by a third party to be turned over to the grantee only upon fulfillment of a condition
2
: a fund or deposit designed to serve as an escrow

escrow

2 of 2

verb

escrowed; escrowing; escrows

transitive verb

: to place in escrow
Phrases
in escrow
: in trust as an escrow
had $1000 in escrow to pay taxes

Examples of escrow in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Think of all the players involved: Your lender, maybe another bank or credit union — and also title insurance providers, real estate agents, homeowners insurance companies and escrow services. Nerdwallet, Orange County Register, 25 Feb. 2024 Further complexities arose when the first homebuyers completed their earnest money deposit to the original escrow, coinciding with the second set of homebuyers fulfilling their deposit requirements. Pat Kapowich, The Mercury News, 27 Jan. 2024 For this to work, the 1031 exchange funds must be held in a qualified escrow account or trust account. Joseph Kimbrough, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 Bradley emphatically denied the allegations, but conceded that the employee received funds from his escrow account. USA TODAY, 19 Feb. 2024 Per online listings, that property is currently for sale, asking $2.6 million, and recently entered escrow with an as-yet-unknown buyer. James McClain, Robb Report, 10 Jan. 2024 Even so, Trump may still have to part with the cash and put it up as escrow with the court until the appeals process is resolved. Erik Larson, Fortune, 29 Jan. 2024 Thus, the entity that holds your mortgage will hike up your escrow to ensure your monthly payment can cover those higher bills. Rachel Kurzius, Washington Post, 12 Jan. 2024 Those deals dating to 2019 fell out of escrow, and the zoning was never changed. Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Aug. 2023
Verb
Even with the approval, the Tailgate Park transaction must close escrow before the end of the year to remain shielded from the state’s stricter disposition laws for surplus land. Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Apr. 2022 Buyers would escrow the difference with the U.S. Treasury. Patrick Jenevein, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2022 The Tailgate Park transaction must close escrow before the end of the year to remain shielded from the state’s stricter disposition laws for surplus land. Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Mar. 2022 The city and Padres are racing against the clock — because of state disposition laws, the transaction must close escrow by Dec. 23 or it will be aborted altogether. Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2022 Starting next summer, McCarty’s AB 1466 will require Realtors, title companies and escrow companies to notify buyers of any racial covenants, as well as their right to modify them. Lauren Hepler, San Francisco Chronicle, 15 Nov. 2021 While the seller is going to get the same amount of money, many local agents say sellers will go with cash offers to make sure the purchase closes escrow. Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 July 2021 The building, which includes two other small businesses at the corner of Vista Way, has been sold to a developer who plans extensive renovations once escrow closes in August. Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 July 2021 At the very start of the pandemic, agency lenders required borrowers to escrow 18 months of property taxes and interest payments to qualify for acquisition loans. Lee Kiser, Forbes, 13 May 2021

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

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Anglo-French escroue scroll — more at scroll

First Known Use

Noun

1594, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1946, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of escrow was in 1594

Dictionary Entries Near escrow

Cite this Entry

“Escrow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/escrow. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

escrow

noun
es·​crow
e-ˈskrō
: something (as a deed or a sum of money) delivered by one person to another to be delivered by the second to a third party only upon the fulfillment of a condition
escrow verb

Legal Definition

escrow

1 of 2 noun
es·​crow ˈes-ˌkrō How to pronounce escrow (audio)
1
: an instrument and especially a deed or money or property held by a third party to be turned over to the grantee and become effective only upon the fulfillment of some condition
2
: a fund or deposit designed to serve as an escrow

escrow

2 of 2 transitive verb
: to cause to be held as an escrow : place in escrow
Etymology

Noun

Anglo-French escroue deed delivered on condition, literally, scroll, strip of parchment, from Old French escroe

More from Merriam-Webster on escrow

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