liquidate

verb

liq·​ui·​date ˈli-kwə-ˌdāt How to pronounce liquidate (audio)
liquidated; liquidating

transitive verb

1
a(1)
: to determine by agreement or by litigation the precise amount of (indebtedness, damages, or accounts)
(2)
: to determine the liabilities (see liability sense 2) and apportion assets toward discharging the indebtedness of
b
: to settle (a debt) by payment or other settlement
liquidate a loan
2
archaic : to make clear
3
: to do away with especially by killing
was hired to liquidate a certain businessman
4
: to convert (assets) into cash
liquidated his securities

intransitive verb

1
: to liquidate debts, damages, or accounts
2
: to determine liabilities (see liability sense 2) and apportion assets toward discharging indebtedness
liquidation noun

Example Sentences

The owners were ordered to liquidate the company and pay their creditors. The company is liquidating its assets. The owners were ordered to liquidate. The film is about a professional killer who's hired to liquidate a powerful businessman.
Recent Examples on the Web Some people invest in high-end jewelry in hopes of being able to liquidate them in particular circumstances. Laxmi Corp, The Salt Lake Tribune, 5 Oct. 2022 In court, McGuinn framed the sale of homes as part of a larger effort to liquidate his assets, adding that some of the proceeds — some $2.2 million — were wired this year to a law firm in the Bahamas to purchase a residence there. Matt Hamilton, Los Angeles Times, 10 Nov. 2022 If the deal is not closed by the new deadlines, Digital World must liquidate and Truth Social's parent, Trump Media & Technology Group, will have to find other sources of cash. CBS News, 9 Sep. 2022 If the takeover isn’t completed by Sept. 8, Digital World must liquidate and pay out all shareholders about $10.20 per share (the $.20 is interest accrued since the IPO). Scott Nover, Quartz, 7 Sep. 2022 There also wasn’t a word—from an agency that exists to protect investors—about how to liquidate fairly 75 open contracts expiring after February 2023 and apportion gains and losses among their almost 15,000 holders. Donald Luskin, WSJ, 1 Nov. 2022 But by mid-June, U.S.-based lenders BlockFi and Genesis reported that 3AC was unable to make margin calls—when a broker demands that an investor commit more funds to cover potential losses—and the firms began to liquidate some of 3AC's holdings. Grady Mcgregor, Fortune, 19 July 2022 Musk would need to liquidate much of his holdings to buy Twitter on his own, potentially diluting Tesla's value. Irina Ivanova, CBS News, 21 Apr. 2022 While this value can change, one key reason investors look to gold is because physical gold is easy to liquidate. Q.ai - Make Genius Money Moves, Forbes, 21 Dec. 2021 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'liquidate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin liquidatus, past participle of liquidare to melt, from Latin liquidus

First Known Use

circa 1575, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a(1)

Time Traveler
The first known use of liquidate was circa 1575

Dictionary Entries Near liquidate

Cite this Entry

“Liquidate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/liquidate. Accessed 7 Dec. 2022.

Kids Definition

liquidate

verb
liq·​ui·​date ˈlik-wə-ˌdāt How to pronounce liquidate (audio)
liquidated; liquidating
1
: pay off sense 1
liquidate a debt
2
: to put an end to : do away with
liquidation noun

Legal Definition

liquidate

verb
liq·​ui·​date ˈli-kwə-ˌdāt How to pronounce liquidate (audio)
liquidated; liquidating

transitive verb

1
: to determine by agreement or litigation the precise amount of
also : to settle (a debt) by payment or other adjustment
2
a
: to determine the liabilities and apportion the assets of especially in bankruptcy or dissolution
liquidate a corporation
compare bankruptcy
b
: to convert (as assets) into cash
liquidate an estate

intransitive verb

: to liquidate something (as a corporation)
liquidation noun

More from Merriam-Webster on liquidate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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