freeze out

verb

froze out; frozen out; freezing out; freezes out

transitive verb

: exclude

freeze-out

ˈfrēz-ˌau̇t 

noun

Synonyms of freeze out

• exclude
• ban
• eliminate
• shut out
• bar
• prevent
• rule out

Examples of freeze out in a Sentence

a housing market that effectively freezes out people of moderate means

Recent Examples on the Web

Minnesota officials said on Thursday that the FBI is taking the lead on the investigation and freezing out state investigators. —Ted Johnson, Deadline, 9 Jan. 2026

In 2019, the NBA learned this the hard way when a tweet from then-Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey regarding Hong Kong led Chinese businesses to freeze out the association for years. —Adam Minter, Twin Cities, 4 Jan. 2026

Europeans have been struggling for a seat at the negotiating table, largely frozen out of talks between Washington and the Kremlin. —Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 21 Dec. 2025

Having been frozen out by Warner chief Zaslav, Paramount pitched itself to Warner's investors as the logical and more profitable choice — backed by far more cash up front than Netflix's offer. —David Folkenflik, NPR, 12 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1861, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for freeze out

• roundabout
• runabout
• sauerkraut
• thereabout
• turnabout
• about
• bailout
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout

Legal Definition

freezeout

1 of 2 noun

freeze·​out

ˈfrēz-ˌau̇t

: a corporate action (as a merger) taken by those in control of the corporation (as controlling shareholders or the board of directors) for the purpose of causing the minority shareholders to lose their equity in the corporation (as by the sale of their shares) compare squeezeout

freeze out

2 of 2 transitive verb

: to subject to a freezeout