: an item of merchandise (such as an automobile or refrigerator) taken as payment or part payment for a purchase
traded in; trading in; trades in
1
: to turn in as payment or part payment for a purchase or bill
trade the old car in on a new one
2
Examples of trade-in in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Mackenzie Jervis, Travel + Leisure, 15 Feb. 2026
While Beijing has rolled out trade-in subsidies to spur sales of cars and appliances, the rebound in spending has been uneven.
—Anniek Bao, CNBC, 30 Jan. 2026
John Towfighi, CNN Money, 16 Feb. 2026
According to automotive enthusiast site CarBuzz, Bad Bunny reportedly traded in his multimillion-dollar Bugatti Chiron to drive around in an old 2003 Toyota Corolla in Puerto Rico.
—Charles Singh, USA Today, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for trade-in
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Noun
Republic Goods and Buffalo Exchange both offer consignment or trade-ins and Main Street Mercantile has antiques and unique finds in addition to clothing.
—Mackenzie Jervis, Travel + Leisure, 15 Feb. 2026
While Beijing has rolled out trade-in subsidies to spur sales of cars and appliances, the rebound in spending has been uneven.
—Anniek Bao, CNBC, 30 Jan. 2026
Verb
As for the Dow, the blue-chip index traded in the 900s when Silverblatt began his career, and crossed 50,000 points one week after his retirement.
—John Towfighi, CNN Money, 16 Feb. 2026
According to automotive enthusiast site CarBuzz, Bad Bunny reportedly traded in his multimillion-dollar Bugatti Chiron to drive around in an old 2003 Toyota Corolla in Puerto Rico.
—Charles Singh, USA Today, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for trade-in
Cite this Entry
“Trade-in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trade-in. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
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