foreclose

/fɔːˈkləʊz/

//fɔːˈkləʊz// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"foreclose" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“foreclose” is uncommon English (frequency #52,324 among 18,613 “F” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#52,324
frequency rank, English
18,613
“F” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To repossess a mortgaged property whose owner has failed to make the necessary payments; used with on.

Key facts for foreclose
PropertyValue
Headwordforeclose
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/fɔːˈkləʊz/
Letters9
Frequency rank#52,324
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “foreclose” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). foreclose lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

foreclose is uncommon English at frequency #52,324 among 18,613 “F” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /fɔːˈkləʊz/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

foreclose doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

Etymologically, the entry records: Partially from Middle English foreclosen, forclosen, from Old French forclos, past participle of forclore (“to exclude”), from for- (“(prefix used to express error, exclusion, or inadequacy)”) + clore (“to shut”), and partially from Middle English forclusen… The correct English form is foreclose, spelled F-O-R-E-C-L-O-S-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To repossess a mortgaged property whose owner has failed to make the necessary payments; used with on.
  2. 2
    To cut off (a mortgager) by a judgment of court from the power of redeeming the mortgaged premises.
  3. 3
    To shut up or out; to prevent from doing something.

Etymology

Partially from Middle English foreclosen, forclosen, from Old French forclos, past participle of forclore (“to exclude”), from for- (“(prefix used to express error, exclusion, or inadequacy)”) + clore (“to shut”), and partially from Middle English forclusen (“to close up”), from Old English forclȳsan (“to close up”), equivalent to fore- + close.

This word in other languages

embargar(Español)saisir(Français)verhindern(Deutsch)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "foreclose"?
"foreclose" is spelled F-O-R-E-C-L-O-S-E. The IPA pronunciation is /fɔːˈkləʊz/.
What does "foreclose" mean?
As a verb, "foreclose" means: To repossess a mortgaged property whose owner has failed to make the necessary payments; used with on.
How do you pronounce "foreclose"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "foreclose" is /fɔːˈkləʊz/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "foreclose"?
Partially from Middle English foreclosen, forclosen, from Old French forclos, past participle of forclore (“to exclude”), from for- (“(prefix used to express error, exclusion, or inadequacy)”) + clore (“to shut”), and partially from Middle English... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “foreclose”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is F-O-R-E-C-L-O-S-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /fɔːˈkləʊz/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list