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.
If the district were to become insolvent, then an appointed administrator would take all power away from Supt.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
She warned that capping ground rents risked leaving freeholders insolvent and unable to carry out their obligations to ensure fire safety and remove dangerous cladding.
From BBC ● Mar. 3, 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
Social Security’s trust fund is currently projected to be insolvent in 2033.
From MarketWatch ● Jan. 28, 2026
The banking system was insolvent, he assumed, and that implied some grave upheaval.
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
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.
