Bankrupt means: To force into bankruptcy.. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up. For most families this word will pass by without incident; it is more a vocabulary curiosity than a parenting concern.
bankrupt
(transitive) To force into bankruptcy.
Seen in the wild
10 citations · last seen May 2026
Seen in the wild
BlueskyMay 2026
A war lead by a man who managed to bankrupt multiple casinos and is now old and demented - what could possibly go wrong?
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BlueskyMay 2026
when all the world's an OTB, it's become bankrupt in every sense of the word
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BlueskyMay 2026
Fewer living Republicans every day. Hanging themselves on their bankrupt farms and paying out the nose for gas in their 'rolling coal' monster trucks. You fucking love to see it.
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BlueskyMay 2026
I know the illegal war with Iran is on everybody's mind, but DID TRUMP JUST SPEND MILLIONS OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO BUY 10% INTEREST IN SPIRIT AIRLINE THAT THEN WENT BANKRUPT IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS? ANOTHER BANKRUPTCY…
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BlueskyMay 2026
There are tons of them around the city, so I'll have a fun day 😌💋 I don't think I'll bankrupt their capitalist company with an offer they've had for years, so I'm going to happily drink coffee, matcha, and tea all d…
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Definitions
UK
#1·Apr 27, 2026UK
(transitive) To force into bankruptcy.
For parents
Bankrupt means: To force into bankruptcy.. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up. For most families this word will pass by without incident; it is more a vocabulary curiosity than a parenting concern.
For ESL learners
bankrupt means: To force into bankruptcy.. Register: neutral, standard English. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself. A formal-English equivalent (a synonym or descriptive phrase) is usually safer in writing. When in doubt, paraphrase rather than reuse the slang form.
Cluster: general
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UK
#2·Apr 27, 2026UK
(figurative) Destitute of, or wholly lacking a good quality, value, etc. one should possess or once possessed.
"How did you go bankrupt?" Bill asked. "Two ways," Mike said. "Gradually and then suddenly."
Heard in the wild
“A war lead by a man who managed to bankrupt multiple casinos and is now old and demented - what could possibly go wrong?”
— Bluesky· May 2026“when all the world's an OTB, it's become bankrupt in every sense of the word”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Fewer living Republicans every day. Hanging themselves on their bankrupt farms and paying out the nose for gas in their 'rolling coal' monster trucks. You fucking love to see it.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“I know the illegal war with Iran is on everybody's mind, but DID TRUMP JUST SPEND MILLIONS OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO BUY 10% INTEREST IN SPIRIT AIRLINE THAT THEN WENT BANKRUPT IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS? ANOTHER BANKRUPTCY FOR TRUMP? NOW WE KNOW WHY HE IS SO BAD AT AND FOR BUSINESS!”
— Bluesky· May 2026“There are tons of them around the city, so I'll have a fun day 😌💋 I don't think I'll bankrupt their capitalist company with an offer they've had for years, so I'm going to happily drink coffee, matcha, and tea all day long”
— Bluesky· May 2026
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UK
#3·Apr 27, 2026UK
(finance, of a person, company, etc.) In a condition of bankruptcy; unable to pay outstanding debts or meet financial obligations; specifically, having been legally declared insolvent.
"How did you go bankrupt?" Bill asked. "Two ways," Mike said. "Gradually and then suddenly."
Origin: , from bank + broken, rupted, which refers to an out-of-business bank, having its bench physically broken, signifying that the working moneylender was insolvent. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Heard in the wild
“Imagine being able to get +4% risk free in countries that are "normal" (i.e. not bankrupt countries such as US / China) - and still buying stocks ? Who is that stupid ?”
— Bluesky· May 2026“If he didn’t pay tax and didn’t declare the gift then yes, there should be some charges to at least answer to. While they’re at it, perhaps they can dig a bit further into how his ‘bankrupt’ girlfriend could afford an almost £900k house on her own.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Wordle 1,781 X/6 ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜🟩⬜🟨🟩 ⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩 .. #IMPEACH #TRUMP #IMPRISON #PAEDOPHILES #PROSECUTE #WAR #CRIMINALS #BANKRUPT #FRAUDSTERS #EXPOSE #FASCISTS and #NAZIS .. ⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Trump doesn’t only bankrupt his own companies, he has to bankrupt others as well! Spirit Airlines doomed by sky high fuel prices due to 'recent geopolitical events,' court docs say www.nbcnews.com/business/tra...”
— Bluesky· May 2026“America is bankrupt. More debt than GDP. Claimed insolvency last month but nobody talks about it. In fact, you still hear the press saying things like, "in the richest country in the worlllld..." America = Lies and Propaganda”
— Bluesky· May 2026
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For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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UK
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Other words near "bankrupt" (B)
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