specific performance

American  

noun

Law.

1. (especially in the sale of land) literal compliance with one's contractual promises pursuant to a judicial mandate.

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specific performance British  

noun

1. law a remedy awarded by a court requiring a person to fulfil obligations under a contract where damages are an insufficient remedy

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Etymology

Origin of specific performance

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

A seller who tries to walk away may face a different prospect—a suit for specific performance, where the court is asked to force the sale of the property to the buyer, Goldstein said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 6, 2026

Evercore strategist Julian Emanuel identified stocks that could rebound by screening for specific performance, valuation, and market capitalization criteria.

From Barron's • Dec. 22, 2025

The two men obviously came into the debate with some very specific performance strategies and they both did what they needed to do.

From Salon • Oct. 2, 2024

"With these wireless sensors, we can capture different regions of the lungs and assess their specific performance and each region's performance relative to one another."

From Science Daily • Nov. 16, 2023

When we say "enforced" we of course mean that the laborer may not be compelled to carry it out; what, in the law, we call specific performance.

From Popular Law-making by Stimson, Frederic Jesup