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

Following the murders, Chris went into default on the mortgage and the lender foreclosed on the property. —Natalia Senanayake, Peoplemag, 11 Apr. 2024

Most of these figures are now under Western sanctions, with the possibility of keeping their wealth in the West or sending their children to the United States or Europe for education foreclosed. —Alexander Gabuev, Foreign Affairs, 9 Apr. 2024

Some diversion invariably accompanies public investments, and to fully foreclose it the U.S. would mean eliminating Medicare, the military, and most other public programs. —James C. Robinson, STAT, 29 Mar. 2024

When Genesis halted withdrawals six days later, Gemini foreclosed on the first batch, but the second had not been transferred. —Nina Bambysheva, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2023

The couple’s home was not foreclosed on — however, the couple has resorted to selling the property after disagreements on the home’s future. —Kelly Wynne, Peoplemag, 29 Mar. 2024

Armed resistance was a necessity for oppressed people—a perspective easy to agree with, especially when the oppression seems to foreclose any other option. —Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 28 Mar. 2024

Democrats were unanimously opposed to Mnuchin, pointing to his allegedly predatory track record of foreclosing on California homeowners while serving as OneWest Bank’s CEO. —Dylan Sloan, Fortune, 15 Mar. 2024

This isn’t callousness or delusive optimism but, rather, a rebellion against the suffocating expectation that the elderly have foreclosed the possibility of joy. —Hillary Kelly, The New Yorker, 21 Feb. 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