mortgage the/one's future
phrase
chiefly US, disapproving
: to borrow a large amount of money that will have to be paid back in the future
The city has mortgaged its future to pay for the new stadium.
—sometimes used figurativelySome critics say that she has mortgaged her political future on a program that is likely to fail.
Cite this Entry
“Mortgage the/one's future.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mortgage%20the%2Fone%27s%20future. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
