receivership

noun

re·​ceiv·​er·​ship ri-ˈsē-vər-ˌship How to pronounce receivership (audio)
1
: the office or function of a receiver
2
: the state of being in the hands of a receiver

Examples of receivership in a Sentence

Years of financial difficulty eventually placed the company into receivership.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First reported by the news site Abridged by PBS KVIE, the proposal drew criticism from community members following the district’s efforts to address its structural deficit of $222 million and avoid state receivership. — Chaewon Chung, Sacbee.com, 3 Sep. 2026 Hygrade Deli closed late in 2025 and was put into receivership. — Susan Selasky, Freep.com, 31 Aug. 2026 Greenwood Cemetery and Eastern Cemetery, which was owned by the same company, were put in receivership in 1989, and excavations found that around 80,000 people had been buried on land that was meant to hold 15,000. — Caroline Neal, Louisville Courier Journal, 28 Aug. 2026 However the company was put into receivership in March and 93 letters went to potential buyers. — Ricardo Torres, jsonline.com, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for receivership

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of receivership was in the 15th century

Rhymes for receivership

See All Rhymes for receivership

Browse Nearby Words

receiver ring
receivership
receiving barn
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Receivership.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/receivership. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

receivership

noun
re·​ceiv·​er·​ship ri-ˈsē-vər-ˌship How to pronounce receivership (audio)
1
: the office or role of a receiver
2
: the state of being in the control of a receiver

Legal Definition

receivership

noun
re·​ceiv·​er·​ship ri-ˈsē-vər-ˌship How to pronounce receivership (audio)
1
: the office or function of a receiver
2
: a proceeding in which a receiver is appointed
3
: the state of being in the hands of a receiver compare bankruptcy

More from Merriam-Webster on receivership

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about receivership

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