repossess
Americanverb (used with object)
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to regain ownership of; to take back, especially for failure to make due payment.
After the first few payments, the buyer defaulted on the contract, and we were forced to repossess the piano.
-
to give (someone) ownership of something again; restore something to (used withof ).
In 1814, a coalition of European powers defeated Napoleon and repossessed the ousted Bourbons of their throne.
verb
-
to take back possession of (property), esp for nonpayment of money due under a hire-purchase agreement
-
to restore ownership of (something) to someone
Other Word Forms
- repossessable adjective
- repossession noun
- repossessor noun
- unrepossessed adjective
Etymology
Origin of repossess
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.
Lesley Bates KC, prosecuting, previously said the bodies of two elderly men were found by court agents who were repossessing the premises because of debts including more than £13,000 in unpaid rent.
From BBC
Allowing the lender to repossess the vehicle is one option.
From MarketWatch
Karina Hutchins, of UK Finance - which represents the banking industry - said seeking to repossess a home is "always a last resort" for lenders.
From BBC
Seeking to repossess a home is "always a last resort" for lenders, said Karina Hutchins, a principal in the mortgage policy team at UK Finance, a trade association for the banking and financial services sector.
From BBC
More than 11,000 households in England had their homes repossessed by bailiffs following a section 21 eviction in the year to June.
From BBC
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.
