A bankruptcy sale is a process in which assets of a financially troubled business are sold off to satisfy debts. However, there are several different synonyms for bankruptcy sale, depending on the context and industry. One common term is liquidation sale, which is typically used in retail and consumer goods sectors. Another is fire sale, which suggests a quick, desperate sale of assets. Closeout sale is also sometimes used. In the legal industry, bankruptcy auction is a term that's more specific to court-ordered sales of assets. Regardless of the term used, the goal of a bankruptcy sale is the same: to recover as much money as possible for creditors.