liquidate
verb
liq·ui·date
ˈli-kwə-ˌdāt 
liquidated; liquidating
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
1
: to liquidate debts, damages, or accounts
2
: to determine liabilities (see liability sense 2) and apportion assets toward discharging indebtedness
Examples of liquidate in a Sentence
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
Traditional money market funds can be liquidated within a day or two, though redeeming shares only happens during market hours.
—
Hugh Son, CNBC, 23 July 2025
In such a scenario, the loan in this example would have likely been liquidated.
—Georgii Verbitskii, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025
Regulators discovered the fraud in 2020 and declared Global Hawk liquidated and insolvent, prosecutors added.
—Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 20 July 2025
With the cost of college soaring, many parents are making major financial sacrifices like delaying retirement, liquidating savings, or taking second jobs to help their children avoid student debt.
—Sydney Lake, Fortune, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for liquidate
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Hugh Son, CNBC, 23 July 2025
In such a scenario, the loan in this example would have likely been liquidated.
—Georgii Verbitskii, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025
Regulators discovered the fraud in 2020 and declared Global Hawk liquidated and insolvent, prosecutors added.
—Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 20 July 2025
With the cost of college soaring, many parents are making major financial sacrifices like delaying retirement, liquidating savings, or taking second jobs to help their children avoid student debt.
—Sydney Lake, Fortune, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for liquidate
Cite this Entry
“Liquidate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/liquidate. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
liquidate
verb
liq·ui·date
ˈlik-wə-ˌdāt
liquidated; liquidating
1
: pay off sense 1
liquidate a debt
2
: to put an end to : do away with
Legal Definition
liquidate
verb
liq·ui·date
ˈli-kwə-ˌdāt
liquidated; liquidating
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
: to liquidate something (as a corporation)
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