verb phrase · formal

forfeit assets

UK/ˈfɔːfɪt ˈæsɛts/US/ˈfɔːrfɪt ˈæsɛts/FOR·feit AS·sets

Band 6-7task2speaking

to lose property or money because of a legal penalty, often because it was used in or obtained through crime

Examples

The court ordered the company to forfeit assets tied to the fraud scheme.

Governments may forfeit assets of criminals to compensate victims.

Property purchased with drug money could be forfeited under asset-forfeiture laws.

Band 8 sentence

Following the conviction, the state moved to forfeit assets that investigators had linked to the criminal enterprise.

Collocations

  • forfeit criminal proceeds
  • forfeit assets seized

Word family

forfeit verbforfeiture noun

Common mistakes

pay assetsforfeit assets

forfeit the moneyforfeit assets

Say it for a higher band

5lose property6seize assets7+forfeit assets

Synonyms

seize assets

Easily confused

seize assets

Authorities seized the assets pending further investigation.

Related words

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In Crime & Law

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