in·sol·vent
(ˌ)in-ˈsäl-vənt 
-ˈsȯl-
1
a
: unable to pay debts as they fall due in the usual course of business
b
: having liabilities in excess of a reasonable market value of assets held
2
: insufficient to pay all debts
an insolvent estate
plural insolvents
: an insolvent debtor : a person or entity that is unable to pay debts as they fall due
The country's newspapers regularly published legal notices that announced private assignments for the benefit of creditors, the attachments by creditors against the property of absconding debtors, and court-mandated auctions of assets owned by insolvents.—
Edward J. Balleisen
Edward J. Balleisen
Examples of insolvent in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the WebJohn Eligon, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2023
When the deposits fled, investors quite naturally took a closer look at those supposedly secure assets, and realized that in real, fundamental terms the banks were insolvent.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2023
His action led to public speculation that FTX was insolvent, and other customers started to follow suit.
—Barnini Chakraborty, Washington Examiner, 12 Oct. 2023
If the well owner became insolvent and could not pay the full cost of sealing the well, the surety company would assume responsibility.
—Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2023
According to industry estimates, the average price of homeowners' insurance premiums has more than doubled since DeSantis took office in 2019, and more than a dozen insurers have become insolvent in the state during that time.
—Laura Gersony, ABC News, 31 July 2023
Crypto lender Abra has been insolvent or nearly insolvent since the end of March, Texas regulators said Thursday.
—WSJ, 15 June 2023
Seven local insurance companies have become insolvent since February 2022.
—Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY, 19 July 2023
Farmers is one of more than a dozen insurers that have decided to no longer write new business in the Sunshine State, alongside at least six companies that became insolvent in 2022 alone.
—Rob Wile, NBC News, 17 June 2023
Jeff John Roberts, Fortune Crypto, 17 Aug. 2023
According to the latest report by Social Security's trustees, those surplus assets will be depleted and Social Security insolvent by 2033.
—Russ Wiles, The Arizona Republic, 16 July 2023
By then, the Bank of England had declared SVB UK insolvent.
—Paresh Dave, WIRED, 18 Mar. 2023
That forced the bank to sell a chunk of its bonds at a steep loss, and the pace of those withdrawals accelerated as word spread, effectively rendering Silicon Valley Bank insolvent.
—Christopher Rugaber, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Mar. 2023
Actively betting that the spring meltdown would continue could well have left a bearish speculator insolvent, but the market’s behavior is actually pretty typical, if not rational, says Dr. Shilling.
—Spencer Jakab, WSJ, 12 Aug. 2022
Marc Goldwein, a budget expert at the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, said the jump could move up the date at which Social Security is projected to become an insolvent by as much as a year, to 2032.
—BostonGlobe.com, 14 Oct. 2021
In 1995, a rogue trader at Barings, Nick Leeson, lost over $1 billion, rendering the 300-year-old bank insolvent.
—Antoine Gara, Forbes, 27 Sep. 2021
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Adjective
Financial records show that the city’s property management agency is insolvent, despite holding thousands of properties, including some in the wealthiest sections of the city.
—John Eligon, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2023
When the deposits fled, investors quite naturally took a closer look at those supposedly secure assets, and realized that in real, fundamental terms the banks were insolvent.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2023
His action led to public speculation that FTX was insolvent, and other customers started to follow suit.
—Barnini Chakraborty, Washington Examiner, 12 Oct. 2023
If the well owner became insolvent and could not pay the full cost of sealing the well, the surety company would assume responsibility.
—Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2023
According to industry estimates, the average price of homeowners' insurance premiums has more than doubled since DeSantis took office in 2019, and more than a dozen insurers have become insolvent in the state during that time.
—Laura Gersony, ABC News, 31 July 2023
Crypto lender Abra has been insolvent or nearly insolvent since the end of March, Texas regulators said Thursday.
—WSJ, 15 June 2023
Seven local insurance companies have become insolvent since February 2022.
—Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY, 19 July 2023
Farmers is one of more than a dozen insurers that have decided to no longer write new business in the Sunshine State, alongside at least six companies that became insolvent in 2022 alone.
—Rob Wile, NBC News, 17 June 2023
Noun
In January, another one of DCG’s main subsidiaries, Genesis, declared its lending unit insolvent, and froze the assets of hundreds of thousands of customers.
—Jeff John Roberts, Fortune Crypto, 17 Aug. 2023
According to the latest report by Social Security's trustees, those surplus assets will be depleted and Social Security insolvent by 2033.
—Russ Wiles, The Arizona Republic, 16 July 2023
By then, the Bank of England had declared SVB UK insolvent.
—Paresh Dave, WIRED, 18 Mar. 2023
That forced the bank to sell a chunk of its bonds at a steep loss, and the pace of those withdrawals accelerated as word spread, effectively rendering Silicon Valley Bank insolvent.
—Christopher Rugaber, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Mar. 2023
Actively betting that the spring meltdown would continue could well have left a bearish speculator insolvent, but the market’s behavior is actually pretty typical, if not rational, says Dr. Shilling.
—Spencer Jakab, WSJ, 12 Aug. 2022
Marc Goldwein, a budget expert at the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, said the jump could move up the date at which Social Security is projected to become an insolvent by as much as a year, to 2032.
—BostonGlobe.com, 14 Oct. 2021
In 1995, a rogue trader at Barings, Nick Leeson, lost over $1 billion, rendering the 300-year-old bank insolvent.
—Antoine Gara, Forbes, 27 Sep. 2021
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'insolvent.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Dictionary Entries Near insolvent
Cite this Entry
“Insolvent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/insolvent. Accessed 30 Nov. 2023.
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Kids Definition
insolvent
adjective
in·sol·vent
(ˈ)in-ˈsäl-vənt
: not having or providing enough money to pay debts
an insolvent company
Legal Definition
insolvent
adjective
in·sol·vent
in-ˈsäl-vənt
1
: having ceased paying or unable to pay debts as they fall due in the usual course of business compare bankrupt
2
: having liabilities in excess of a reasonable market value of assets held
3
: insufficient to pay all debts
an insolvent estate
insolvent
noun
More from Merriam-Webster on insolvent
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for insolvent
Nglish: Translation of insolvent for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of insolvent for Arabic Speakers
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