auction

1 of 2

noun

auc·​tion ˈȯk-shən How to pronounce auction (audio)
Synonyms of auctionnext
1
: a sale of property to the highest bidder
2
: the act or process of bidding in some card games

auction

2 of 2

verb

auctioned; auctioning ˈȯk-sh(ə-)niŋ How to pronounce auction (audio)

transitive verb

: to sell at auction
auctioned off his library

Examples of auction in a Sentence

Noun She bought the desk at an auction. He made several bids at the auction. Verb They auctioned a similar desk last year. The house was auctioned last week.
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.
Noun
Amazon estimates advertisers saved more than $8 billion from 2021 through 2025 because its auction system considers ad relevance instead of simply selecting the highest bidder. — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026 Amazon said this is the minimum a bid must surpass to enter an auction and helps cover the company’s costs. — Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica, 1 Sep. 2026
Verb
Those coins will later be auctioned on the NFL Auction platform to benefit the league’s September 11 charitable partners. — Armando Salguero Outkick, FOXNews.com, 2 Sep. 2026 EBay Live participants will hear from industry voices on the cultural significance behind each piece as they are auctioned. — Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 2 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for auction

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Latin auction-, auctio, from augēre to increase — more at eke entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1595, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1723, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of auction was in 1595

Phrases Containing auction

Rhymes for auction

See All Rhymes for auction

Browse Nearby Words

au courant
auction
auction bridge
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Auction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/auction. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

auction

1 of 2 noun
auc·​tion ˈȯk-shən How to pronounce auction (audio)
: a sale at which things are sold to those who offer to pay the most

auction

2 of 2 verb
auctioned; auctioning -sh(ə-)niŋ How to pronounce auction (audio)
: to sell at auction
Etymology

Noun

from Latin auction-, auctio, from augēre "to increase" — related to augment

Legal Definition

auction

noun
auc·​tion
: a public sale of property to the highest bidder see also reserve

More from Merriam-Webster on auction

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for auction

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about auction

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