as in failures
the inability to pay one's debts
learned the hard way the costs of declaring bankruptcy
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Recent Examples of bankruptcies
Finance frenemies After investment bank Jefferies, JPMorgan and Fifth Third disclosed losses tied to the auto industry bankruptcies in the fall, investors learned the extent of this form of lending.
—
Hugh Son, CNBC, 23 Jan. 2026
Personal and business bankruptcies are at a very high level.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 19 Jan. 2026
The reuse of vacant big-box stores has become increasingly common as pandemic-era bankruptcies and changing shopping habits reshape the brick-and-mortar landscape.
—Travis Webb, Austin American Statesman, 16 Jan. 2026
The economic pressure is leading to job losses at equipment manufacturers and an increase in farm bankruptcies.
—P.j. Huffstutter, Reuters, 15 Jan. 2026
Previous retail bankruptcies show varying approaches.
—Bloomberg, Oc Register, 7 Jan. 2026
Across the country, more than 8,100 stores closed in 2025 as retailers dealt with bankruptcies and economic challenges.
—Neal Riley, CBS News, 2 Jan. 2026
Martin-Schoenberger, the KPMG economist, said the bankruptcies reflect contradictions in the economy.
—Aaron Gregg, Arkansas Online, 29 Dec. 2025
The bankruptcies of Tricolor and then First Brands wiped out billions in debt holdings in a matter of weeks.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 29 Dec. 2025
Hugh Son, CNBC, 23 Jan. 2026
Personal and business bankruptcies are at a very high level.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 19 Jan. 2026
The reuse of vacant big-box stores has become increasingly common as pandemic-era bankruptcies and changing shopping habits reshape the brick-and-mortar landscape.
—Travis Webb, Austin American Statesman, 16 Jan. 2026
The economic pressure is leading to job losses at equipment manufacturers and an increase in farm bankruptcies.
—P.j. Huffstutter, Reuters, 15 Jan. 2026
Previous retail bankruptcies show varying approaches.
—Bloomberg, Oc Register, 7 Jan. 2026
Across the country, more than 8,100 stores closed in 2025 as retailers dealt with bankruptcies and economic challenges.
—Neal Riley, CBS News, 2 Jan. 2026
Martin-Schoenberger, the KPMG economist, said the bankruptcies reflect contradictions in the economy.
—Aaron Gregg, Arkansas Online, 29 Dec. 2025
The bankruptcies of Tricolor and then First Brands wiped out billions in debt holdings in a matter of weeks.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 29 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bankruptcies
Noun
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Where Small Businesses Are Most Exposed Most cyber incidents don’t result from sophisticated failures.—
Melissa Houston,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Yet many organizations still struggle to restore operations within 24 hours of a major incident — whether caused by ransomware, software failures, or third-party disruptions.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Dickert survived the ruins of the Washington State program, taking them to three bowl games in four years.—
Darren Cooper,
Forbes.com,
20 Jan. 2026
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In Rhyolite, the ruins of a bank, bottle house, and train depot serve as reminders of a once-booming mining town.—
Taryn White,
Travel + Leisure,
17 Jan. 2026
Noun
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MacGuineas also emphasized the pressing need to address long-term entitlement program insolvencies, specifically Medicare and Social Security trust funds, which face financial depletion without reform within roughly seven years.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
9 Oct. 2025
-
The impact on business is particularly pronounced as rising global debt can undermine consumer spending, trigger higher borrowing fees, suppress available capital and result in corporate bankruptcies and/or insolvencies.—
Mitch Salchow,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bankruptcies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bankruptcies. Accessed 25 Jan. 2026.
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