chapter 11: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Medium-high (common in business, legal, and financial news contexts).Formal/legal in primary meaning; informal/figurative in extended usage.
Quick answer
What does “chapter 11” mean?
A US legal statute providing a framework for a debtor, especially a business, to reorganize its finances and operations under court supervision to pay creditors over time.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A US legal statute providing a framework for a debtor, especially a business, to reorganize its finances and operations under court supervision to pay creditors over time.
Colloquially, the state of undergoing such financial reorganization; more broadly, a metaphor for any situation requiring a fundamental, structured restructuring to avoid collapse.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Purely a term from the United States Bankruptcy Code. In UK contexts, the equivalent legal process is 'administration' (for companies) or entering a 'Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA)'. The term 'Chapter 11' is understood in international business but not part of UK domestic law.
Connotations
In the US, it carries specific legal/financial connotations. In international/UK usage, it is often used generically to mean 'corporate restructuring', sometimes with a slight emphasis on its American origin.
Frequency
Frequent in American business journalism; used less frequently but still understood in UK/international business reporting.
Grammar
How to Use “chapter 11” in a Sentence
[Company] filed for Chapter 11.[Company] is operating under Chapter 11.The court approved the Chapter 11 plan.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “chapter 11” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The company is expected to chapter-11 its US operations. (rare, informal)
- They had to chapter 11 the entire division.
American English
- The airline is planning to Chapter 11 its way out of its pension obligations. (informal/verbification)
- They chaptered eleven last quarter.
adverb
British English
- The business is operating Chapter 11-style. (very rare)
American English
- The store is still trading, but it's doing so Chapter 11. (informal)
adjective
British English
- The firm is in a Chapter 11-like process.
- post-Chapter 11 financing
American English
- a Chapter 11 filing
- the Chapter 11 judge
- pre-Chapter 11 negotiations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
The retailer filed for Chapter 11 to renegotiate its store leases.
Academic
The paper examines the success rates of firms emerging from Chapter 11.
Everyday
My schedule is so chaotic, I need to declare Chapter 11 on my social life.
Technical
The debtor-in-possession financing was approved as part of the Chapter 11 filing.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “chapter 11”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “chapter 11”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “chapter 11”
- Writing 'chapter 11' in lowercase.
- Using it interchangeably with 'bankruptcy' without specifying it's reorganization, not liquidation.
- Saying 'Chapter 11' in a UK legal context instead of 'administration'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Chapter 11 is specifically designed to help a business *avoid* going out of business by restructuring its debts and operations under court supervision.
Yes, but it is rare and complex. Individuals with very high debts (typically exceeding the limits for Chapter 13) may file under Chapter 11, though Chapter 13 is the more common route for personal reorganization.
The closest equivalent for companies is 'administration'. The administrator takes control to rescue the company as a going concern, similar to a Chapter 11 debtor-in-possession.
It is named for Chapter 11 of Title 11 of the United States Code, which is the Bankruptcy Code. It is literally the 11th chapter of that federal law.
A US legal statute providing a framework for a debtor, especially a business, to reorganize its finances and operations under court supervision to pay creditors over time.
Chapter 11 is usually formal/legal in primary meaning; informal/figurative in extended usage. in register.
Chapter 11: in British English it is pronounced /ˌtʃaptə ɪˈlevn/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈtʃæptər əˈlevn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “It's a Chapter 11 situation. (figurative)”
- “Doing a Chapter 11 on one's life.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of Chapter 11 as the 'eleventh-hour' chance to save a business—a last chapter before the end, focused on recovery.
Conceptual Metaphor
FINANCIAL DISTRESS IS A PHYSICAL COLLAPSE; REORGANIZATION IS A CURE/TREATMENT.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary purpose of Chapter 11?