liquidate

verb

liq·​ui·​date ˈli-kwə-ˌdāt 

liquidated; liquidating

transitive verb

1

a(1)

: to determine by agreement or by litigation the precise amount of (indebtedness, damages, or accounts)

(2)

: to determine the liabilities (see liability sense 2) and apportion assets toward discharging the indebtedness of

b

: to settle (a debt) by payment or other settlement

liquidate a loan

2

archaic : to make clear

3

: to do away with especially by killing

was hired to liquidate a certain businessman

4

: to convert (assets) into cash

liquidated his securities

intransitive verb

1

: to liquidate debts, damages, or accounts

2

: to determine liabilities (see liability sense 2) and apportion assets toward discharging indebtedness

liquidation

ˌli-kwə-ˈdā-shən 

noun

Synonyms of liquidate

• eradicate
• erase
• abolish
• destroy

Examples of liquidate in a Sentence

The owners were ordered to liquidate the company and pay their creditors.

The company is liquidating its assets.

The owners were ordered to liquidate.

The film is about a professional killer who's hired to liquidate a powerful businessman.

Recent Examples on the Web

Late last week, the urgent selling in semiconductors and data-center equities and debt resembled the sort of forced-unwind rhythms from July, when a big upstart tech hedge fund was in the process of being all but liquidated. — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2026

Digital secondary channels have become the main outlet for liquidating illicit inventories, often obscuring sellers’ origins while reaching millions of buyers worldwide. — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 19 Oct. 2026

As out-of-business Spirit Airlines liquidates, the planes and the landing rights aren’t the only leftovers for sale. — Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2026

In 2025, when three other SpaceX funds were liquidated, Meyer allegedly moved about $636,000 meant for investors into his personal account. — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin liquidatus, past participle of liquidare to melt, from Latin liquidus

First Known Use

circa 1575, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a(1)

Rhymes for liquidate

• abdicate
• abrogate
• acetate
• activate
• actuate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate
• angulate

Kids Definition

liquidate

verb

liq·​ui·​date ˈlik-wə-ˌdāt 

liquidated; liquidating

1

: pay off sense 1

liquidate a debt

2

: to put an end to : do away with

liquidation

ˌlik-wə-ˈdā-shən 

noun

Legal Definition

liquidate

verb

liq·​ui·​date ˈli-kwə-ˌdāt 

liquidated; liquidating

transitive verb

1

: to determine by agreement or litigation the precise amount of

also : to settle (a debt) by payment or other adjustment

2

a

: to determine the liabilities and apportion the assets of especially in bankruptcy or dissolution

liquidate a corporation

compare bankruptcy

b

: to convert (as assets) into cash

liquidate an estate

intransitive verb

: to liquidate something (as a corporation)

liquidation

ˌli-kwə-ˈdā-shən 

noun