forfeits; forfeited; forfeiting
: to lose or give up (something) as a punishment or because of a rule or law
He forfeited his right to a trial by jury.
If the money is not claimed within six months, it will be forfeited to the town. [=the owner of the money will lose any right to it]
They didn't have enough players, so they ended up having to forfeit the game (to the other team).
They didn't have enough players, so they ended up having to forfeit.
plural forfeits
: something that is lost or given up as punishment or because of a rule or law
—usually singular
The judge declared the property a forfeit.
They were required to pay a forfeit.
We won the game by forfeit. [=we won because the other team forfeited the game]
not used before a noun
formal
: given up or taken away as a punishment or because of a rule or law
If the money is not claimed within six months, it will be forfeit to the town. [=the owner of the money will lose any right to it, and it will be given to the town]
Cite this Entry
“Forfeit.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/forfeit. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
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