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Synonyms

hostile takeover

American  

noun

Business.

  1. a takeover that is not approved by the management of the corporation being acquired or that is accomplished through the secret purchase of stock.

Etymology

Origin of hostile takeover

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It marks a sharp escalation in a saga which has sparked uproar in Germany, and the finance ministry in Berlin swifty responded that any "hostile takeover" of the systemically important bank would be "unacceptable."

From Barron's • Mar. 16, 2026

After fending off a roughly $50 billion hostile takeover bid from BHP in 2024, the miner has been simplifying its business by spinning off units and focusing on iron and copper.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 20, 2026

Paramount’s hostile takeover bypasses management entirely, appealing directly to investors and potentially putting shareholders’ preferences at odds with the board’s preferred transaction.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 12, 2026

Undeterred, Paramount chief executive David Ellison launched a hostile takeover bid, taking his suit directly to shareholders.

From BBC • Feb. 10, 2026

If there was ever a moment to declare you like someone, it was with a churro in your hand and a day of protesting a greedy land developer’s hostile takeover of your neighborhood behind you.

From "The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora" by Pablo Cartaya

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.