foreclose: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal / Legal / Financial
Quick answer
What does “foreclose” mean?
To seize property (usually a house) because the owner has failed to make mortgage payments.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To seize property (usually a house) because the owner has failed to make mortgage payments.
To prevent or shut out a possibility, opportunity, or action; to settle or resolve a matter decisively.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The legal procedures and terminology surrounding foreclosure differ, but the core word usage is identical. In British English, the term 'repossession' is more common in everyday speech, while 'foreclosure' is the technical legal term.
Connotations
Carries strong negative connotations of financial distress, loss, and legal enforcement in both varieties.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American English due to cultural and media focus on housing markets and mortgage crises.
Grammar
How to Use “foreclose” in a Sentence
[Bank/Subject] forecloses (on [property/object])[Bank/Subject] foreclosed [the mortgage/loan] (on [property])[Action/Decision] forecloses [possibility/option]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “foreclose” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The building society may foreclose if payments aren't resumed.
- Let's not foreclose any avenues of negotiation prematurely.
American English
- The bank foreclosed on the family farm.
- His early statement foreclosed any chance of a plea deal.
adverb
British English
- This clause acts foreclosurely, preventing any future claims. (Very rare/legalistic)
- The asset was sold foreclosurely. (Very rare/legalistic)
American English
- (No standard adverbial form in common use. 'In a foreclosure sale' is used instead.)
adjective
British English
- The foreclosed property was sold at auction.
- They faced a foreclosure order.
American English
- They bought a foreclosed home at a discount.
- The foreclosure process can take months.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
The bank was forced to foreclose on the commercial property after two years of missed payments.
Academic
His rigid theoretical framework foreclosed any alternative interpretations of the data.
Everyday
They're worried the bank might foreclose on their house.
Technical
The trustee initiated judicial foreclosure proceedings pursuant to the deed of trust.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “foreclose”
- Incorrect: *The government foreclosed his car. (Use 'repossessed' for non-real estate).
- Incorrect: *He foreclosed to pay. (Must have an object: foreclose ON something or foreclose a mortgage).
- Spelling: Confusing 'foreclose' with 'forclose' or 'foreclosure' with 'forclosure'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Foreclose' specifically refers to the legal process of taking back real estate (land, houses) due to mortgage default. 'Repossess' (or 'repo') is a broader term for taking back any asset (cars, equipment) used as collateral for a loan.
Yes, but it changes the object. You 'foreclose ON a house/property'. You 'foreclose a mortgage/loan'. Both are correct, with 'foreclose on' being more common in modern usage.
Overwhelmingly yes in its core financial meaning. In its extended, metaphorical meaning ('foreclose an option'), it is neutral-to-formal, describing a decisive exclusion.
The noun form is 'foreclosure' (/fɔːˈkləʊʒə(r)/). It refers to the legal process or event itself, e.g., 'The family faced foreclosure.'
To seize property (usually a house) because the owner has failed to make mortgage payments.
Foreclose is usually formal / legal / financial in register.
Foreclose: in British English it is pronounced /fɔːˈkləʊz/, and in American English it is pronounced /fɔːrˈkloʊz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Foreclose on someone's dreams (metaphorical)”
- “The bank is foreclosing (common shortened form)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
FORE (in front) + CLOSE (to shut). Imagine a bank official shutting the door (CLOSE) in front (FORE) of a homeowner, taking the house away.
Conceptual Metaphor
OWNERSHIP/OPPORTUNITY IS A DOOR. Foreclosing is the act of legally locking or shutting that door.
Practice
Quiz
In a non-legal context, what does 'foreclose' metaphorically mean?