freeze out

verb

froze out; frozen out; freezing out; freezes out

transitive verb

: exclude

freeze-out

ˈfrēz-ˌau̇t 

noun

Synonyms

• 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

Prospective buyers looking for affordable or mid-market condos are increasingly frozen out of the market by high mortgage rates, strict financing requirements and rising costs. —Cd Goette-Luciak, Miami Herald, 23 June 2025

The impact of the shrinking Liberal total is to mostly freeze out the smallest of the coalition parties, such as the Greens with their one seat in Parliament, but to energize others, such as the New Democratic Party, to drive a harder bargain with the Liberals in order to work together. —Daniel Markind, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025

As Raphinha locked down the left wing spot, Ansu was frozen out and also struggled when deployed in a central 9 role on occasions Robert Lewandowski was given a rare rest. —Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025

The Trump administration has also worked to sanction and freeze out law firms that have worked on cases against the president. —Sophie Clark, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 May 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