Meaning & use
undischarged bankrupt
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountablelegallawbusinessfinance
A person who has been declared bankrupt by a court but has not yet been officially released from that status.
Grammar: Countable: say 'an undischarged bankrupt' or 'two undischarged bankrupts'.
Patterns
- be declared an undischarged bankrupt
- remain an undischarged bankrupt for a period
Under the law, an undischarged bankrupt cannot act as a company director.
She remained an undischarged bankrupt until the court discharged her a year later.
Banks often refuse loans to anyone who is still an undischarged bankrupt.
adjectivebefore a nounlegallawbusinessfinance
Still legally bankrupt, because a court has not yet ended the bankruptcy.
Grammar: Used mainly before a noun and in legal contexts: an undischarged bankrupt estate.
Patterns
- be undischarged
- remain undischarged
He was undischarged for three years after the ruling.
The trustee manages the property of the undischarged bankrupt person.
Word forms
| plural | undischarged bankrupts |
|---|
Common combinations
- be declared an undischarged bankrupt
- He was declared an undischarged bankrupt after failing to repay his debts.
- remain an undischarged bankrupt
- She remained an undischarged bankrupt until the official discharge came through.
- an undischarged bankrupt's estate
- The court took control of the undischarged bankrupt's estate.
- discharge an undischarged bankrupt
- The judge can discharge an undischarged bankrupt once the conditions are met.
Synonyms and how they differ
- bankrupt
- The general term for someone who cannot pay debts; 'undischarged' adds the legal detail that the bankruptcy is not yet over.
- insolvent
- Describes a person or company unable to pay debts, which is not always the same as having a formal bankruptcy order.
Opposites
Word family
- bankrupt adjective
- Unable to pay what you owe; legally declared bankrupt.
- bankruptcy noun
- The legal state of being bankrupt.
- discharge verb
- To officially end someone's bankruptcy or release them from a debt.
Commonly confused: undischarged bankrupt or bankrupt?
undischarged bankrupt vs bankrupt
'Bankrupt' simply means unable to pay debts; 'undischarged bankrupt' is the legal status of someone still under a bankruptcy order.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'undischarged bankrupt' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Undischarged bankrupt' is a noun phrase for someone still under a bankruptcy order, so option 1 fits. The other options treat it as a verb or adverb, which it is not.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “undischarged bankrupt”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.