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

The deal emerged after Spirit started the protracted task of liquidating its assets including planes, its company headquarters, airport landing and takeoff rights and then, the massive trove of enterprise data. — David Lyons, Sun Sentinel, 10 Nov. 2026

Its first phase opened April 20 for entries that had not yet been liquidated and those liquidated within the previous 80 days. — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 10 Nov. 2026

The central bank seized the lender Tuesday and announced plans to move customers’ accounts, along with whatever assets still hold value, to other banks before liquidating what’s left. — ABC News, 5 Nov. 2026

Resolution allows regulators to transfer a failing bank's deposits to other institutions before liquidating its remaining assets. — Emilio Sanabria, Arkansas Online, 4 Nov. 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