foreclosure
Americannoun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of foreclosure
Explanation
When a homeowner can't afford to pay her mortgage, she might face foreclosure, which is when a bank repossesses a borrower's house. A bank most often starts foreclosure proceedings against someone who's taken out a loan to buy a house when that person stops making monthly payments. The agreement a borrower makes when she gets a bank mortgage is that she'll pay a certain amount of money every month, and failing to do it means risking foreclosure. The word foreclosure comes from the Latin words fors, "out," and clore "to shut."
Vocabulary lists containing foreclosure
Case Closed: Clud, Clus
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American History II
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The Great Depression and The New Deal
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Arnold Schwarzenegger and Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums, Steyer and Taylor pledged $1 million in loans to support vulnerable people in Oakland facing foreclosure in the wake of the subprime mortgage crisis.
From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026
In 2007, rumors of foreclosure against the estate began circulating, but Jackson’s team remained adamant that it was just a refinancing incident.
From MarketWatch • May 5, 2026
Homes with foreclosure filings jumped 26% in the first quarter, reflecting in part rising property taxes and insurance premiums that hit homeowners.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 3, 2026
U.S. foreclosure filings hit a six-year high in the first quarter.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 2, 2026
“Umm...right, so the house went into foreclosure in 2009. That’s a year before he was spotted panhandling in the city.”
From "Odd One Out" by Nic Stone
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
