liquidate

UK: /ˈlɪkwɪdeɪt/ US: /ˈlɪkwɪˌdeɪt/ ,(lik′wi dāt′)

Inflections of 'liquidate' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

liquidates

v 3rd person singular

liquidating

v pres p

liquidated

v past

liquidated

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

liq•ui•date /ˈlɪkwɪˌdeɪt/   v. [~ + object] , -dat•ed, -dat•ing. 

1. Business to settle or pay (a debt):
   to liquidate a claim.
2. Business to convert (property or other assets) into cash:
   to liquidate an estate.
3. to get rid of, esp. by killing:
   The regime liquidated enemies.
4. to break up or do away with:
   to liquidate a partnership.

liq•ui•da•tion /ˌlɪkwɪˈdeɪʃən/  n. [uncountable]
liq•ui•da•tor, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

liq•ui•date  (lik′wi dāt′), v., -dat•ed, -dat•ing. 
v.t. 

1. Business to settle or pay (a debt):
   to liquidate a claim.
2. Business to reduce (accounts) to order;
   determine the amount of (indebtedness or damages).
3. Business to convert (inventory, securities, or other assets) into cash.
4. to get rid of, esp. by killing:
   to liquidate the enemies of the regime.
5. to break up or do away with:
   to liquidate a partnership.

v.i. 

6. Business to liquidate debts or accounts;
   go into liquidation.

• Late Latin liquidātus, past participle of liquidāre to melt, make clear. See liquid, -ate¹
• 1565–75; 1920–25 for def. 4;

Synonyms

• 1. discharge, clear, erase, cancel.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

liquidate / ˈlɪkwɪˌdeɪt/ verb

1. to settle or pay off (a debt, claim, etc)
2. to determine by litigation or agreement the amount of (damages, indebtedness, etc)
3. to terminate the operations of (a commercial firm, bankrupt estate, etc) by assessment of liabilities and appropriation of assets for their settlement
4. (of a commercial firm, etc) to terminate operations in this manner
5. (transitive) to convert (assets) into cash
6. (transitive) to eliminate or kill