liquidate

verb

liq·​ui·​date ˈli-kwə-ˌdāt How to pronounce liquidate (audio)
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 noun

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 Peter was incensed and sent Menshikov to liquidate everyone in Mazeppa’s capital. Time, 24 Aug. 2023 The danger comes if Binance’s revenues drop so low that it’s forced to start liquidating its BNB stash to pay operating expenses. Shawn Tully, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2023 Bed Bath and Beyond and Tuesday Morning are also liquidating. Jordan Valinsky, CNN, 5 July 2023 The girl has only adapted to conditions that have liquidated less cunning subjects. Alex Quicho, WIRED, 11 Sep. 2023 Goldschmidt suggested most owners with a portfolio sell off apartments one by one, but that this owner might have needed to liquidate assets or just wanted out of this particular investment. Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 8 Sep. 2023 Judging by previous regulatory filings, Musk hadn’t dumped enough Tesla stock to afford the acquisition and would have to liquidate more to close the gap. Bychristiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 6 Sep. 2023 If the vote fails, Digital World will be required by law to liquidate and return $300 million to its shareholders, leaving Trump’s company with nothing from the transaction. Drew Harwell, Washington Post, 2 Sep. 2023 Now the family appears to be liquidating some assets. Rachel Corbett, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'liquidate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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)

Time Traveler
The first known use of liquidate was circa 1575

Dictionary Entries Near liquidate

Cite this Entry

“Liquidate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/liquidate. Accessed 1 Oct. 2023.

Kids Definition

liquidate

verb
liq·​ui·​date ˈlik-wə-ˌdāt How to pronounce liquidate (audio)
liquidated; liquidating
1
: pay off sense 1
liquidate a debt
2
: to put an end to : do away with
liquidation noun

Legal Definition

liquidate

verb
liq·​ui·​date ˈli-kwə-ˌdāt How to pronounce liquidate (audio)
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 noun

More from Merriam-Webster on liquidate

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