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
Federal prosecutors said Pratt liquidated his assets, fled the U.S. and lived as an international fugitive for more than three years before his arrest in Spain in December 2022.
—
Lucia I Suarez Sang, CBS News, 6 June 2025
Others may be returned to seller partners, donated or liquidated.
—Betty Lin-Fisher, USA Today, 5 June 2025
Prosecutors said Pratt liquidated his assets in 2019 and fled the U.S.
—Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 June 2025
Tokenized Spending: By offering digital assets not meant to be traded or liquidated—but to serve as unlockable access passes to content, rewards or services—the tokens function as utility assets that are more interactive than points and more flexible than coupons.
—Charles Morey, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for liquidate
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Lucia I Suarez Sang, CBS News, 6 June 2025
Others may be returned to seller partners, donated or liquidated.
—Betty Lin-Fisher, USA Today, 5 June 2025
Prosecutors said Pratt liquidated his assets in 2019 and fled the U.S.
—Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 June 2025
Tokenized Spending: By offering digital assets not meant to be traded or liquidated—but to serve as unlockable access passes to content, rewards or services—the tokens function as utility assets that are more interactive than points and more flexible than coupons.
—Charles Morey, Forbes.com, 4 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 15 Jun. 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)
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share