1
2
: forfeiture especially of civil rights
3
a
: something deposited (as for making a mistake in a game) and then redeemed on payment of a fine
b
forfeits plural
: a game in which forfeits are exacted
forfeited; forfeiting; forfeits
1
: to lose or lose the right to especially by some error, offense, or crime
forfeiter
noun
: forfeited or subject to forfeiture
Synonyms
Examples of forfeit in a Sentence
Noun
the forfeit for each baseball player involved in the brawl was $5,000
Verb
He forfeited his right to a trial by jury.
They didn't have enough players, so they ended up having to forfeit.
Recent Examples on the Web
John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Feb. 2024
After Lansdowne’s final forfeit, Sean Lippman won a 10-2 major decision over Gavin Teitelbaum for his 24th victory of the season against three losses.
—Craig J. Clary, Baltimore Sun, 8 Feb. 2024
The Wildcats are riding a 14-game winning streak since their lone loss to Caitlin Clark and No. 3 Iowa that likewise ties a school record, and could be considered 15 straight if a forfeit from TCU for not having enough players is included in the tally.
—Dave Skretta, USA TODAY, 30 Jan. 2024
With the forfeits, Orange Glen finished last season 1-10 and is 6-25 over the last three seasons.
—John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Feb. 2024
Following a forfeit at 285 and Sravanth Saladi’s (106) first-period pin, the Mustangs led 34-21, one win away from officially clinching the regional title.
—Jacob Steinberg, Baltimore Sun, 13 Feb. 2024
Manchester Valley’s talented 106-pounder Kyle Reid was awarded a forfeit to give the Mavericks a 24-13 lead with five matches left.
—Timothy Dashiell, Baltimore Sun, 24 Jan. 2024
Maignan received widespread support from the football world and FIFA President Gianni Infantino called for automatic forfeits for teams whose fans have racially abused players.
—Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN, 3 Feb. 2024
Lost the 1-A NorCal title game to eventual 1-A state champions Folsom.
Jordan Seiden, Piedmont
After Piedmont cut its 2022 season short after six games (all losses or forfeits) due to low numbers, little was expected of the Highlanders.
—Joseph Dycus, The Mercury News, 2 Jan. 2024
Sean Gregory / Dallas, TIME, 16 Apr. 2024
In addition to the prison sentence, the federal court ordered Rocha to pay $500,000, forfeit future pension payments, cooperate with the U.S. government and share details of his dealings with Cuba.
—Dan Rosenzweig-Ziff, Washington Post, 13 Apr. 2024
Trump Media & Technology Group is attempting to force two of the company's co-founders to forfeit their shares and give up any claim to the company's leadership.
—Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 3 Apr. 2024
Massive damages are on the table, with Disney facing the prospecting of having to forfeit profits from the movies, which have collectively grossed more than $6 billion.
—Winston Cho, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Mar. 2024
Here are 7 ways to put it to good use
Choosing between an account that pays 0.52% and one that pays 5.35% can mean forfeiting hundreds of dollars in interest.
—Jeanne Sahadi, CNN, 20 Mar. 2024
The 49ers will pick a little later in the fourth round this year and will forfeit a fifth-round selection in the 2025 NFL Draft after being penalized by the NFL for payroll accounting errors at the close of the 2022 league year.
—Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2024
Porter, 50, and Lee, 77, are significant progressive figures in the House of Representatives, who each forfeited their seats to run for Senate this year.
—Virginia Chamlee, Peoplemag, 6 Mar. 2024
In the Nix case, a primary defendant was sentenced to six months’ probation and ordered to forfeit $3 million.
—David Wharton, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2024
Ramin Ganeshram, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2024
Franklin got pins from Tucker Rudo (113 pounds), Xavier Gardner (120), Julian Epps (125), Max Conley (132) and Josh Gray (138) after Dylan Hurd (106) opened the scoring with a forfeit win.
—Craig J. Clary, Baltimore Sun, 26 Jan. 2024
Scripps Ranch sophomore transfer Ava Fodera started it off with a medical forfeit win at 100 pounds.
—Kevin J. Farmer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Feb. 2024
The cheating accusations, some of which played out in court, seemed legit to many, including N.F.L. Commissioner Roger Goodell, who ordered the team to pay a hefty fine, forfeit draft picks and ultimately play four games of the 2016 season without Brady.
—Bill Pennington, New York Times, 11 Jan. 2024
The Gators also were 3-1 in 2020, but that included a forfeit win over B.C. Rain during the COVID year.
—Ben Thomas | Bthomas@al.com, al, 19 Sep. 2023
It was called a few minutes later, with the Millers awarded the forfeit win.
—Glenn Graham, Baltimore Sun, 9 Sep. 2023
The skinny: Huntsville has defeated its Rocket City rival the last four times on the field - Grissom picked up a forfeit win during the 2020 COVID-19 season.
—al, 5 Sep. 2023
The win came one week after Mission Hills was handed a forfeit win over Lawndale, which surrendered two days before game day while pleading a shortage of healthy players.
—Rick Hoff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Sep. 2023
Noun
In desperate need of something positive in the wake of a 1-10 season that included six forfeits for using an ineligible player, Orange Glen High School stayed home and named Santiago Rocha head football coach.
—John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Feb. 2024
After Lansdowne’s final forfeit, Sean Lippman won a 10-2 major decision over Gavin Teitelbaum for his 24th victory of the season against three losses.
—Craig J. Clary, Baltimore Sun, 8 Feb. 2024
The Wildcats are riding a 14-game winning streak since their lone loss to Caitlin Clark and No. 3 Iowa that likewise ties a school record, and could be considered 15 straight if a forfeit from TCU for not having enough players is included in the tally.
—Dave Skretta, USA TODAY, 30 Jan. 2024
With the forfeits, Orange Glen finished last season 1-10 and is 6-25 over the last three seasons.
—John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Feb. 2024
Following a forfeit at 285 and Sravanth Saladi’s (106) first-period pin, the Mustangs led 34-21, one win away from officially clinching the regional title.
—Jacob Steinberg, Baltimore Sun, 13 Feb. 2024
Manchester Valley’s talented 106-pounder Kyle Reid was awarded a forfeit to give the Mavericks a 24-13 lead with five matches left.
—Timothy Dashiell, Baltimore Sun, 24 Jan. 2024
Maignan received widespread support from the football world and FIFA President Gianni Infantino called for automatic forfeits for teams whose fans have racially abused players.
—Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN, 3 Feb. 2024
Lost the 1-A NorCal title game to eventual 1-A state champions Folsom.
Jordan Seiden, Piedmont
After Piedmont cut its 2022 season short after six games (all losses or forfeits) due to low numbers, little was expected of the Highlanders.
—Joseph Dycus, The Mercury News, 2 Jan. 2024
Verb
Kansas City lost its fourth game in six weeks and forfeited all hope of clinching the top seed in the AFC.
—Sean Gregory / Dallas, TIME, 16 Apr. 2024
In addition to the prison sentence, the federal court ordered Rocha to pay $500,000, forfeit future pension payments, cooperate with the U.S. government and share details of his dealings with Cuba.
—Dan Rosenzweig-Ziff, Washington Post, 13 Apr. 2024
Trump Media & Technology Group is attempting to force two of the company's co-founders to forfeit their shares and give up any claim to the company's leadership.
—Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 3 Apr. 2024
Massive damages are on the table, with Disney facing the prospecting of having to forfeit profits from the movies, which have collectively grossed more than $6 billion.
—Winston Cho, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Mar. 2024
Here are 7 ways to put it to good use
Choosing between an account that pays 0.52% and one that pays 5.35% can mean forfeiting hundreds of dollars in interest.
—Jeanne Sahadi, CNN, 20 Mar. 2024
The 49ers will pick a little later in the fourth round this year and will forfeit a fifth-round selection in the 2025 NFL Draft after being penalized by the NFL for payroll accounting errors at the close of the 2022 league year.
—Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2024
Porter, 50, and Lee, 77, are significant progressive figures in the House of Representatives, who each forfeited their seats to run for Senate this year.
—Virginia Chamlee, Peoplemag, 6 Mar. 2024
In the Nix case, a primary defendant was sentenced to six months’ probation and ordered to forfeit $3 million.
—David Wharton, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2024
Adjective
Although his birthplace is as yet unknown, Posey became Washington’s property — the bond on a forfeit loan — around the age of 20.
—Ramin Ganeshram, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2024
Franklin got pins from Tucker Rudo (113 pounds), Xavier Gardner (120), Julian Epps (125), Max Conley (132) and Josh Gray (138) after Dylan Hurd (106) opened the scoring with a forfeit win.
—Craig J. Clary, Baltimore Sun, 26 Jan. 2024
Scripps Ranch sophomore transfer Ava Fodera started it off with a medical forfeit win at 100 pounds.
—Kevin J. Farmer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Feb. 2024
The cheating accusations, some of which played out in court, seemed legit to many, including N.F.L. Commissioner Roger Goodell, who ordered the team to pay a hefty fine, forfeit draft picks and ultimately play four games of the 2016 season without Brady.
—Bill Pennington, New York Times, 11 Jan. 2024
The Gators also were 3-1 in 2020, but that included a forfeit win over B.C. Rain during the COVID year.
—Ben Thomas | Bthomas@al.com, al, 19 Sep. 2023
It was called a few minutes later, with the Millers awarded the forfeit win.
—Glenn Graham, Baltimore Sun, 9 Sep. 2023
The skinny: Huntsville has defeated its Rocket City rival the last four times on the field - Grissom picked up a forfeit win during the 2020 COVID-19 season.
—al, 5 Sep. 2023
The win came one week after Mission Hills was handed a forfeit win over Lawndale, which surrendered two days before game day while pleading a shortage of healthy players.
—Rick Hoff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Sep. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'forfeit.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near forfeit
Cite this Entry
“Forfeit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forfeit. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Legal Definition
forfeit
1 of 3 noun
for·feit
ˈfȯr-fət 
: something forfeited or subject to being forfeited
forfeit
2 of 3 transitive verb1
: to lose or lose the right to by some default, failure, or neglect of obligation or duty or by some offense
shall forfeit to the United States…any proceeds which the person obtained, directly or indirectly, from racketeering activity—U.S. Code
U.S. Code2
: to subject to forfeiture
it shall be placed in the custody of the Collector, who…shall cause a notice of the seizure and intention to forfeit and sell the same—Morgan v. United States, 107 F. Supp. 501 (1952)
Morgan v. United States, 107 F. Supp. 501 (1952)
forfeitability
noun
ˌfȯr-fə-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē
forfeitable
adjective
forfeit
3 of 3 adjective
: forfeited or subject to forfeiture
Etymology
Noun
Anglo-French, from Middle French forfait, past participle of forfaire to commit a crime, from fors outside + faire to do
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