insolvent
insolvent Lexical Profile
insolvent Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Unable to pay debts owed as they fall due, or having total financial liabilities that exceed total assets.
"The retail chain was declared insolvent after years of declining sales and mounting debt."
Relating to or characteristic of financial insolvency or those unable to pay their debts.
"The court appointed an administrator to oversee the liquidation of the insolvent estate."
• noun
A person or organization that is unable to pay their debts.
"The new legislation offers legal avenues for insolvents to restructure their liabilities."
Word Nuance & Usage
In financial and legal contexts, 'insolvent' describes a state of financial distress (inability to pay debts as they fall due), whereas 'bankrupt' refers to the formal legal status declared by a court.
• Rhymes for insolvent
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the late 16th century from Latin 'insolventem', formed from the negative prefix 'in-' ('not') and 'solvens', the present participle of 'solvere' ('to loosen, release, or pay a debt').