be foreclosed upon

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "be foreclosed upon" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in the context of discussing the legal process where a lender takes possession of a property due to the borrower's failure to make mortgage payments. Example: "If the homeowner continues to miss payments, the bank may decide to foreclose upon the property."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

I wonder: Can dollhouses be foreclosed upon?

The New York Times

Over the years, some loans will be paid off as homeowners sell or refinance, and some homes will be foreclosed upon and sold.

The New York Times

A friend of theirs, another financial executive, recently bought a house in Vermont weeks before it was to be foreclosed upon.

The New York Times

But a divide remains: Should homeowners simply be foreclosed upon en masse, or should banks work with them to modify mortgages and reduce the loans to levels that homeowners can manage?

The New York Times

We can't get aid because we own a house, but it's about to be foreclosed upon.

Huffington Post

They knew which pet owners in the surrounding communities were unemployed, which were about to be foreclosed upon, and which had confidentially inquired about adoptions for four-footed family members they could no longer afford to feed.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

At that point, lawyers for the people who had been foreclosed upon might take the next logical step and try to show that the banks never had the documents to prove ownership of the mortgage in the first place.

The New York Times

People are foreclosed upon, out of money, out of luck and suffering out there, but what do the Republicans decide to go after?

Huffington Post

People who cannot pay their mortgage are foreclosed upon.

The New York Times

She was foreclosed upon, and she lost her business.

The New York Times

The home I was raised in had just been foreclosed upon.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "be foreclosed upon", ensure the context clearly indicates that the subject is losing property due to failure to pay a mortgage. It is a formal way to describe a serious financial situation.

Common error

Avoid using "be foreclosed upon" when you intend to describe the bank's action. The phrase describes what happens to the homeowner, not what the bank does. To describe the bank's action, use "foreclose on" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "be foreclosed upon" functions as a passive verb phrase. It indicates that the subject (usually a homeowner or property) is receiving the action of foreclosure. Ludwig's examples show its use in describing the consequences of mortgage default.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "be foreclosed upon" is a passive verb phrase used to describe the situation where a homeowner loses property due to mortgage default. Ludwig AI indicates that the phrase is grammatically correct and is most commonly found in news and media contexts. While the phrase itself is neutral, it describes a serious financial consequence. Alternatives include "face foreclosure" or "have your home repossessed". Ensure correct usage by remembering that this phrase describes what happens to the homeowner, not the bank's action.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

have your home repossessed

Focuses on the action of losing the home, replacing the legal term with a more general one.

face foreclosure

Highlights the situation of confronting the legal process of foreclosure.

lose your property to the bank

Simplifies the concept by emphasizing the loss of property to the lender.

undergo repossession

Uses a more formal term, 'repossession', as the main action.

be evicted due to mortgage default

Highlights the eviction aspect of foreclosure due to failure to pay the mortgage.

forfeit ownership of your home

Emphasizes the loss of ownership rights over the property.

default on your mortgage and lose your home

Specifies the cause (mortgage default) and the consequence (losing the home).

have the bank take possession of your property

Directly states the bank's action of taking control of the property.

be subject to a foreclosure proceeding

Focuses on the legal process and its impact on the homeowner.

relinquish your home due to financial hardship

Highlights the difficult circumstances that lead to losing the home.

FAQs

What does "be foreclosed upon" mean?

The phrase "be foreclosed upon" means to have a property legally taken by a lender because the owner failed to make mortgage payments. It indicates the homeowner is on the receiving end of the foreclosure process.

How can I use "be foreclosed upon" in a sentence?

You can use "be foreclosed upon" in a sentence like this: "If homeowners consistently miss their payments, their homes may "be foreclosed upon"."

What are some alternatives to "be foreclosed upon"?

Alternatives to "be foreclosed upon" include "face foreclosure", "have your home repossessed", or "lose your property to the bank".

Is it better to say "foreclose on" or "be foreclosed upon"?

"Foreclose on" describes the action the bank takes, while "be foreclosed upon" describes what happens to the homeowner. For example, "The bank will foreclose on the property" versus "The homeowner may "be foreclosed upon" if they don't pay."