Browse all

buy out

B2 neutral separable transitive
In simple words

Pay someone all the money they are owed so you can own something completely or so they can leave.

Literal meaning: To buy someone completely out of a position or ownership.

Meanings

1 B2 neutral

To purchase all of someone's shares or ownership in a business so that you become the sole owner.

"She decided to buy out her business partner after years of disagreements over strategy."

""Disney bought out George Lucas's stake in Lucasfilm for over four billion dollars.""

— The Wall Street Journal, 2012
Grammar: separable
2 B2 neutral

To pay someone an agreed sum so that they are released early from a contract.

"The football club bought out the player's contract so he could join the rival team."

Grammar: separable
Usage notes

Common in business and finance. Can refer to buying a partner's share in a company or paying an employee or athlete to end their contract early.

Commonly used with

partner shareholder contract stake company competitor

Forms

Base
buy out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
buys out
he/she/it
Past simple
bought out
yesterday
Past participle
bought out
have + pp
-ing form
buying out
continuous

Understand "buy out" better

Try:

Real video examples

Video examples are being collected. Check back soon.

Synonyms

acquire purchase take over absorb buy the stake of

Want to master this phrasal verb?

Practice "buy out" on Looplines