foreclose

verb

fore·​close (ˌ)fȯr-ˈklōz 

foreclosed; foreclosing; forecloses

transitive verb

1

: to shut out : preclude

2

: to hold exclusively

3

: to deal with or close in advance

4

: to subject to foreclosure proceedings

intransitive verb

: 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

Different jurisdictions have different laws about foreclosing on properties. —Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 26 Sep. 2024

For one character, obsessing about getting laid leads to a medical condition that forecloses the possibility forever. —Jia Tolentino, The New Yorker, 25 Sep. 2024

Oakland County foreclosed on Ohanessian’s property, sold it for $82,000 and then kept the balance. —Nushrat Rahman, Detroit Free Press, 30 July 2024

And once the mezzanine lender has foreclosed out the previous ownership of the mortgage borrower, the guarantor has no ability to cause the borrower to surrender the real estate to the mortgage lender. —Joshua Stein, Forbes, 23 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French forclos, past participle of forclore, forsclore, from fors outside (from Latin foris) + clore to close — more at forum

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Kids 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

-ˈklō-zhər

noun

Legal Definition

foreclose

verb

fore·​close fōr-ˈklōz 

transitive verb

: to subject to foreclosure proceedings

intransitive verb

: 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