insolvent
Americanadjective
-
not solvent; unable to satisfy creditors or discharge liabilities, either because liabilities exceed assets or because of inability to pay debts as they mature.
- Synonyms:
- bankrupt, impoverished, destitute, penniless
-
pertaining to bankrupt persons or bankruptcy.
noun
adjective
-
(of a person, company, etc) having insufficient assets to meet debts and liabilities; bankrupt
-
of or relating to bankrupts or bankruptcy
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of insolvent
Explanation
Piggy bank empty? Nothing but lint in your pockets? Then you're probably unable to meet any financial obligations. In other words, you are insolvent. Being insolvent isn't just about being poor. A person or business that's insolvent has no resources, no assets and no way to pay any of the bills. This adjective insolvent is a synonym for bankrupt, and surely the last thing anyone wants to be. The only way to solve the problem of insolvency? Start saving your pennies again from scratch.
Vocabulary lists containing insolvent
100 SAT Words Beginning with "I"
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Broke-abulary: Synonyms for "Poor"
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Dwight D. Eisenhower, "The Military-Industrial Complex" (1961)
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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.
Trustee’s office said First Brands has no realistic reorganization prospects and is administratively insolvent.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026
But like an insurance company, if a CDS seller has many claims to pay and not enough money to pay them, it becomes insolvent.
From Barron's • Feb. 24, 2026
Prosecutor Lesley Bates KC told the court Elkin and Bell Funerals was "insolvent" and its business model was "a case of robbing Peter to pay Paul".
From BBC • Feb. 19, 2026
However, as oil production declines and fossil fuel companies increasingly become insolvent, California regulators worry taxpayers may have to assume the costs to plug these wells.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 14, 2026
On Friday evening, October 14, 1983, at 6: 13 P.M., the First National Bank was declared insolvent by the Comptroller of the Currency.
From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger
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.
