Auction

//ˈɔkʃən// noun, verb

noun, verb ·Uncommon ·College level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A public event where goods or property are sold to the highest bidder.

    "Auctions come in a wide variety. In a “Dutch auction”, often used to sell flowers and fruit, prices start high and gradually drop until a bidder is willing to pay up. A “Japanese auction” is a bit like poker: bids rise with each round and anyone who wants to win must bid every time. Vendors using auctions rid themselves of the headache of choosing prices and instead just pick the rules bidders must follow."

  2. 2
    the public sale of something to the highest bidder wordnet
  3. 3
    The first stage of a deal, in which players bid to determine the final contract.
  4. 4
    a variety of bridge in which tricks made in excess of the contract are scored toward game; now generally superseded by contract bridge wordnet
Verb
  1. 1
    To sell at an auction.
  2. 2
    sell at an auction wordnet

Synonyms

All synonyms
auction bridgeauction offauction saleauctioneerblockknock down

Example

More examples

"We will be willing to make a deal with you after the auction."

Etymology

From Latin auctiō (“an increase, auction”), from augere (“to increase”).

Related phrases

Dutch auctionVickrey auctionauction blockauction bridgeauction callauction houseauction offauction pitchauction theoryauction-goercandle auctiondollar auction

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.