Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Subject to being lost or surrendered as a penalty: "forfeitable" describes something that can be legally or contractually taken away due to a failure to fulfill an obligation, condition, or rule.
   • Liable to forfeiture: It indicates that a right, property, privilege, or asset is at risk of being confiscated or relinquished if certain terms are broken.

Usage Examples

• (The deposit can be lost as a penalty for late cancellation.)
• (The IP can be surrendered if the employee leaves.)
• (The scholarship can be taken away due to poor academic performance.)

Advanced Usage

• "forfeitable right": a legal entitlement that can be lost due to misconduct or non-compliance.
  • The defendant’s right to appeal was deemed forfeitable after they missed the filing deadline. (The right to appeal could be lost due to failure to act in time.)
• "forfeitable asset": property that can be seized by authorities or a counterparty.
  • The court ruled that the smuggled goods were forfeitable under customs law. (The goods could be confiscated by the government.)

Variants and Related Words

• Forfeit (noun): something lost or surrendered as a penalty.
  • He paid the forfeit of $500 for breaking the lease. (The penalty amount.)
• Forfeit (verb): to lose or give up something as a penalty.
  • She forfeited her deposit when she didn’t show up. (She lost the deposit.)
• Forfeiture (noun): the act of losing or surrendering something as a penalty.
  • The forfeiture of the property was ordered by the court. (The legal process of confiscation.)
• Non-forfeitable (adj): not subject to forfeiture.
  • The pension benefits are non-forfeitable after five years of service. (They cannot be taken away.)

Synonyms

• Confiscable: capable of being seized by authority.
• Surrendable: able to be given up voluntarily or under compulsion.
• Liable to loss: at risk of being lost.

Related Idioms

• Forfeit one's right: to lose a privilege or claim due to action or inaction.
  • By lying under oath, he forfeited his right to testify. (He lost the ability to speak in court.)
• Forfeit one's bond: to lose a monetary guarantee.
  • The accused forfeited his bond by fleeing the country. (He lost the money he paid for bail.)

Phrasal Verbs

• Forfeit over: not a standard phrasal verb; the word "forfeit" is typically used as a standalone verb without a particle. However, in legal contexts, one may say "forfeit to" meaning to surrender to a specific entity.
  • The illegal funds were forfeited to the state. (The money was surrendered to the government.)