buyout
C1Formal / Business / Financial
Definition
Meaning
The purchase of a controlling share or all of a company's assets, especially by its management or another company.
The act of buying someone's share in a joint asset, business, or contract; more broadly, any purchase to gain control, remove an obligation, or settle a claim.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Typically implies a complete or controlling acquisition. Often used in corporate contexts but can apply to partnerships or contracts. The word functions primarily as a noun, but can be used attributively (e.g., buyout clause).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling and usage are identical. The concept is central to Anglo-American finance.
Connotations
Neutral financial/legal term in both varieties. Can have positive (rescuing a company) or negative (hostile takeover, job losses) connotations depending on context.
Frequency
Equally frequent in business and financial journalism in both the UK and US.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Verb] + a buyout (e.g., negotiate, propose, finance)[Adjective] + buyout (e.g., leveraged, hostile, management)buyout + [of + NP] (e.g., a buyout of the company)buyout + [by + NP] (e.g., a buyout by private equity)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Golden parachute (related to executive compensation in a buyout)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
The most common context. Refers to corporate transactions where one entity gains control of another. E.g., 'The board approved the leveraged buyout.'
Academic
Used in economics, finance, and business studies literature to analyse market consolidation, corporate governance, and ownership structures.
Everyday
Rare. Might be used when discussing someone buying out a business partner's share or a sports contract buyout.
Technical
Specific meaning in finance (e.g., LBO - Leveraged Buyout), employment law (buyout of a contract), and sports management (transfer buyout clause).
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- The buyout deal was finalised last quarter.
- He received a substantial buyout package.
American English
- The buyout deal was finalized last quarter.
- The team activated his buyout clause.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The two partners disagreed, so one did a buyout of the other.
- The football club paid the buyout fee to sign the player.
- The management team is attempting a buyout to save the company from foreign acquisition.
- His contract includes a buyout clause valued at ten million euros.
- The leveraged buyout was financed almost entirely by debt, placing significant risk on the acquired company.
- After the hostile buyout, the new owners initiated a series of ruthless cost-cutting measures.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: BUY + OUT. You BUY a company so completely that the previous owners are OUT.
Conceptual Metaphor
CONTROL IS OWNERSHIP (Buying something gives you control over it).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calque 'покупать вне'.
- Not equivalent to 'раскупка' (bulk buying).
- Closest equivalent is 'выкуп' (as in 'выкуп компании' for corporate buyout, 'выкуп доли' for partner buyout).
- Don't confuse with 'покупка', which is a general 'purchase'.
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a verb (*'They will buyout the firm' – incorrect; verb is 'buy out').
- Confusing 'buyout' (noun) with the phrasal verb 'buy out'.
- Misspelling as 'buy-out' (hyphenated form is dated).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following best describes a 'management buyout' (MBO)?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
A takeover is a general term for gaining control of a company, which can be hostile or agreed. A buyout is a type of takeover that specifically involves purchasing, typically implying the purchase of a controlling interest or all shares. All buyouts are takeovers, but not all takeovers are buyouts (e.g., a merger of equals).
No, 'buyout' is a noun. The verb form is the phrasal verb 'to buy out' (e.g., 'She bought out her partner'). The one-word form 'buyout' is only a noun or used attributively (buyout offer).
It is a neutral, technical term in finance describing a buyout financed mainly through debt. However, it often carries negative connotations in public discourse due to associations with asset stripping, job losses, and high financial risk.
Most commonly in business news. You might also encounter it in sports news regarding player contract clauses, or in personal contexts when someone 'buys out' another person's share in a jointly owned house or business.