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
The current Mari portfolio includes the tennis events, the Miami Open and Madrid Open, Frieze art fairs and car auction company Barrett Jackson. — Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 11 Aug. 2026 Hiroshige’s reputation has also grown outside the auction room. — Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 11 Aug. 2026
Verb
One of the vehicles seized included a Ferrari Monza SP2, which was one of only 499 made and can be auctioned for nearly $5 million. — Duarte Dias, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026 The late actor’s team confirmed on social media that his daughter, Meadow Walker, still owns his 1998 Toyota Supra from Furious 7, and has no plans to sell or auction it off. — Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for auction

Word History

Etymology

Noun

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

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 15 Aug. 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

Nglish: Translation of auction for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about auction

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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