forfeiture
Americannoun
-
something forfeited
-
the act of forfeiting or paying a penalty
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of forfeiture
1300–50; Middle English forfeiture, forfeture < Old French. See forfeit, -ure
Explanation
Forfeiture is having to give something up, usually as a punishment. If kindergartners yell and run around instead of sitting quietly at their desks, it might result in a forfeiture of recess that day. When you forfeit something, you lose or relinquish it as a penalty for doing something wrong. An instance of this happening is a forfeiture, and you can describe the thing you have to sacrifice as a forfeiture too. In law, a forfeiture is the loss of rights or goods due to not fulfilling some obligation. For example, failing to make car payments to a bank can result in the forfeiture of your car.
Vocabulary lists containing forfeiture
The Constitution of the United States
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Stamp Act (1765)
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The Merchant of Venice
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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.
The punishment was forfeiture of all wins in the 2024 season, which voided the team’s playoff eligibility, and a playoff ban the following year—the “death penalty,” the school lawyer called it.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 28, 2026
He added: "We need a mandatory minimum fine of £20,000 and, again, vehicle forfeiture on conviction."
From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026
Now she’s trying to make amends, including paying more than $6.6 million in restitution and forfeiture.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026
After Shkreli forfeited the album, the federal government sold it to help cover $7.4 million in forfeiture that a judge ordered him to pay.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 6, 2026
Indeed, a person could be found innocent of any criminal conduct and the property could still be subject to forfeiture.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
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.
