foreclose

[ fawr-klohz, fohr- ]

verb (used with object)

, fore·closed, fore·clos·ing.

1. Law.
   1. to deprive (a mortgagor or pledgor) of the right to redeem their property, especially on failure to make payment on a mortgage when due, ownership of property then passing to the mortgagee.
   2. to take away the right to redeem (a mortgage or pledge).
2. to shut out; exclude; bar.
3. to hinder or prevent, as from doing something.
4. to establish an exclusive claim to.
5. to close, settle, or answer beforehand.

verb (used without object)

, fore·closed, fore·clos·ing.

1. to take away the right to redeem a mortgage or pledge.

foreclose

/ fɔːˈkləʊʒə; fɔːˈkləʊz /

verb

1. law to deprive (a mortgagor, etc) of the right to redeem (a mortgage or pledge)
2. tr to shut out; bar
3. tr to prevent or hinder
4. tr to answer or settle (an obligation, promise, etc) in advance
5. tr to make an exclusive claim to

Derived Forms

• foreclosure, noun
• foreˈclosable, adjective

Other Words From

• fore·closa·ble adjective
• nonfore·closing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of foreclose¹

First recorded 1250–1300; Middle English foreclosen from Old French forclos, past participle of forclore “to exclude,” equivalent to for- “out” + clore “to shut” (from Latin claudere )

Word History and Origins

Origin of foreclose¹

C15: from Old French forclore , from for- out + clore to close, from Latin claudere

Example Sentences

Yet, unsurprisingly, with hopes for social change at home foreclosed and few economic alternatives, migration only increased after the wars ended.

From Washington Post

After the Great Recession, millions of foreclosed homes hit the market as the economy cratered.

From Vox

It’s worth noting that the majority opinion in Van Buren does not foreclose any possibility that someone will be prosecuted for a trivial transgression.

From Vox

If it forecloses a young person getting a job, that has longer-run adverse implications for what we call their human capital accumulation.

From Freakonomics

Opportunity is going to be foreclosed to millions of low-income people because they can’t afford to gain access to the digital highway through Internet service providers.

From Time

Yet Texas does not foreclose professional opportunities for him.

From The Daily Beast

When the stakes are as high as these, checking privilege can foreclose important advances in human psychology.

From The Daily Beast

What they have done is foreclose any meaningful response by the AP.

From The Daily Beast

We cannot foreclose the possibility that a strike against Iran might one day be defensible or necessary.

From The Daily Beast

Why rush to foreclose on a homeowner owing $250,000 on a property valued, post-bubble, at $200,000?

From The Daily Beast

They foreclose without mercy, but that does not frighten their old patrons, who have the perennial optimism of the country.

From Project Gutenberg

He's to foreclose that mortgage and longs to own that one field of ours just to complete the shape of his farm.

From Project Gutenberg

My husband died paying it, and my son will pay it all my life, and then I suppose the bank will foreclose.

From Project Gutenberg

Yesterday I served notice on him by mail that we would have to go ahead and foreclose right away.

From Project Gutenberg

Laflin came to Ingleside; came to foreclose a poor man's liberty, without a day of redemption.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• expropriate