forfeiture

American

[fawr-fi-cher] / ˈfɔr fɪ tʃər /

noun

an act of forfeiting.
something that is forfeited; fine; mulct.

forfeiture British

/ ˈfɔːfɪtʃə /

noun

something forfeited
the act of forfeiting or paying a penalty

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

reforfeiture noun

Etymology

Origin of forfeiture

1300–50; Middle English forfeiture, forfeture < Old French. See forfeit, -ure

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.

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

A district judge in Llandudno earlier approved a forfeiture application by North Wales Police to confiscate the contents of his bank accounts.

From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026

In her response, Leavitt said the vessel is “currently undergoing a forfeiture process.”

From MarketWatch • Dec. 13, 2025

Prosecutors are seeking the forfeiture of a property Heppner owns in Dallas as well as an estate that he owns in Eastern Texas known as the Bradley Oaks Ranch, according to the indictment.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 4, 2025

Schmid stopped the clock, walked to the front of the stage, and announced the first forfeiture of any game in World Championship history.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023