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
Driven in everything from the Monaco Historic Grand Prix to the Goodwood Revival, this car will be offered for the first time at auction by Gooding Christie’s next month. — Howard Walker, Robb Report, 28 Oct. 2026 The sale falls a day before Guggenheim Abu Dhabi opens and follows Christie’s first fine art auction in the city and the inaugural Frieze Abu Dhabi. — Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2026
Verb
At the start, the rights to the IPL’s original eight franchises were auctioned off for a collective $724 million, or $90 million per club, with winning bids ranging from $67 million for the Rajasthan Royals to $112 million for the Mumbai Indians. — Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 28 Oct. 2026 Two artists, Nujoom Al-Ghanem and Nasser Al-Yousif, will be introduced to auction for the first time, with the sale highlighting women artists including Huguette Caland, Etel Adnan, and Fahrelnissa Zeid. — Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 28 Oct. 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 1 Nov. 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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