1
: a sale of property to the highest bidder
2
: the act or process of bidding in some card games
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
Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 16 May 2026
The April version would also sharply reduce net revenues from emission auctions, according to the Legislative Analyst’s Office, providing barely enough for the $1 billion allocation to the bullet train and another $1 billion for the governor and Legislature to spend.
—Dan Walters, Mercury News, 15 May 2026
Colin Dodds, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 May 2026
Christie's and Soteby's have auctioned off high-profile diamonds over the years.
—CBS News, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for auction
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Noun
Through the General Services Administration, excess computers, office furniture, and equipment can be transferred to other agencies, sold at auction, or donated to state and local governments, schools, and nonprofit organizations.
—Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 16 May 2026
The April version would also sharply reduce net revenues from emission auctions, according to the Legislative Analyst’s Office, providing barely enough for the $1 billion allocation to the bullet train and another $1 billion for the governor and Legislature to spend.
—Dan Walters, Mercury News, 15 May 2026
Verb
Treasury bills are auctioned weekly, while notes, bonds, TIPS, and floating rate notes are auctioned monthly or quarterly, depending on the maturity.
—Colin Dodds, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 May 2026
Christie's and Soteby's have auctioned off high-profile diamonds over the years.
—CBS News, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for auction
Cite this Entry
“Auction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/auction. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
auction
1 of 2 noun
auc·tion
ˈȯk-shən 
: a sale at which things are sold to those who offer to pay the most
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