repo man

American  

[ree-poh man] / ˈri poʊ ˌmæn /

noun

Informal.

1. a person employed to repossess or take back high-priced merchandise, such as motor vehicles or machinery, from buyers who have failed to pay.

   The specter of the repo man haunts many Americans who have fallen behind in their car payments.

   I haven't paid my bills in months, my credit cards are maxed out, and the repo man is threatening to come around.

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Etymology

Origin of repo man

First recorded in 1960–65; see repo ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

repo man

In seconds, the veteran repo man dragged the blue SUV into the cool night.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2025

Mark Lacek, a Florida repo man who’s recovered more than 10,000 vehicles since the 1970s, predicts the trend will only grow.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 25, 2022

John Heinkel, a professional repo man with a full head of graying hair and a small and scrappy build, hoists a Lime scooter on its back wheel, setting off the alarm underneath the scooter’s brake.

From The Verge ● Jul. 24, 2019

I’m just kidding about going all repo man.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 17, 2018

Then the money wasn’t so good and the repo man came knocking on the door.

From Washington Post ● Aug. 20, 2017