foreclosure

noun

fore·​clo·​sure (ˌ)fȯr-ˈklō-zhər 

: an act or instance of foreclosing

specifically : a legal proceeding that bars or extinguishes a mortgagor's right of redeeming a mortgaged estate

Examples of foreclosure in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

While all of the Central Park South apartments were held separately from that process, records show they were all forfeited in a foreclosure proceeding last year. —Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 10 Apr. 2026

Injustice Watch reported last year that the majority of the foreclosures since 2019 occurred in predominantly Black communities. —Willie Wilson, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026

Apartments, hotels and office buildings have flopped into foreclosures. —George Avalos, Mercury News, 9 Apr. 2026

Spandrel purchased the tower at an auction for $36 million last year, after the previous owners defaulted on the property’s loan and the building went into foreclosure. —Desiree Mathurin april 8, Charlotte Observer, 8 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1713, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for foreclosure

• nondisclosure
• postexposure
• closure
• crozier
• hosier
• mosher
• composure
• cynosure
• disclosure
• enclosure
• exposure
• inclosure

Legal Definition

foreclosure

noun

fore·​clos·​ure fōr-ˈklō-zhər 

1

: a legal proceeding that bars or extinguishes a mortgagor's equity of redemption in mortgaged real property see also deficiency judgment at judgment, redeem, right of redemption, statutory foreclosure, strict foreclosure sense 1

2

: the extinguishment (as under the provisions of Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code) of the rights of a debtor in personal property subject to a security interest by judicial proceedings and especially by judicial sale see also strict foreclosure sense 2