as in sale
a public event at which things are sold to the people who offer to pay the most
She bought the desk at an auction. He made several bids at the auction.
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as in to merchandise
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of auction
Hana Kiros, The Atlantic, 26 Aug. 2025
At Zé Elídio’s compound, Janalice and other girls are assaulted before being handed over to Philippe Soutin, who arranges to auction them during the mayor’s birthday party.
—Isabella Wandermurem, Time, 20 Aug. 2025
Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 12 Sep. 2025
Now with a concert, golf tournament and live auction, what began as a nice gesture has morphed into a constant on the calendar, and has helped dozens of families who need the help.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for auction
Noun
In Guatemala, the U.S. embassy has auctioned off iPads, ring lights, megaphones, and defibrillators that were once the property of USAID.
—Hana Kiros, The Atlantic, 26 Aug. 2025
At Zé Elídio’s compound, Janalice and other girls are assaulted before being handed over to Philippe Soutin, who arranges to auction them during the mayor’s birthday party.
—Isabella Wandermurem, Time, 20 Aug. 2025
Verb
The auction is being put on by RM Sotheby’s, which says Verstappen and his father drove the car at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in January 2020 as part of the filming of a Dutch documentary about Max.
—Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 12 Sep. 2025
Now with a concert, golf tournament and live auction, what began as a nice gesture has morphed into a constant on the calendar, and has helped dozens of families who need the help.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for auction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for auction
Noun
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More recently, her brother, Jose Napoleon, the director of admissions at Azure College in Fort Lauderdale, was charged this year with a wire-fraud conspiracy involving the sale of false nursing degrees.—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
20 Sep. 2025
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This lightwear pair at Amazon is on sale for $12—a serious deal considering they’re polarized to ensure UV protection, feature a coating that helps protect against water on rainy days, and have a one-piece nosepad that fits snugly on your face without digging in like some of the metal varieties.—
Lane Nieset,
Travel + Leisure,
20 Sep. 2025
Verb
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If products are merchandised poorly, no one will want to purchase it and money will not circle back to fisheries and the Alaskan economy could suffer.—
Andrew Watman,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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For example, he was encouraged by the results of its summer merchandising efforts, rewards member base, pricing strategy and ability to take market share in the fuel business without sacrificing margins.—
Julie Coleman,
CNBC,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
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But Decker left no trace of his existence, such as credit card transactions or cell phone activity, after his daughters were killed.—
Holly Yan,
CNN Money,
19 Sep. 2025
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For years, Apple required that all in-app purchases be processed through its App Store and skimmed 30 percent off each transaction.—
Dan Piepenbring,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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But the carrier avoided big changes in the process and instead focused on a deal with its bondholders, which exchanged almost $800 million in debt for equity, and it was greeted after bankruptcy with persistently higher costs and weaker-than-expected domestic travel demand.—
Leslie Josephs,
CNBC,
18 Sep. 2025
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The app gives owners the option to connect with the owners of their canine's relative, to exchange information about their pets or schedule a playdate.—
Rachael O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Nintendo can repackage and resell the first Galaxy in 2025, and really, these kinds of remasters are easy money for publishers.—
Mitch Wallace,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
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Old lotions and bath products do not belong in the donation bin because thrift stores can't resell them for health and hygiene reasons.—
Nafeesah Allen,
Better Homes & Gardens,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Vanessa Hudgens hasn’t even had the chance to swap her summer crochet linens for winter crochet wools, but the California concert promoter has already released the lineup for the 2026 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, the earliest announcement since the event’s inception in 1999.—
Arielle Gordon,
Pitchfork,
16 Sep. 2025
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His activist group Turning Point USA helped update the young-Republican aesthetic, swapping bow ties for T-shirts and making rallies feel like rock concerts.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Russia pushed for sales of its strategic S-400 system to the Arab Gulf in the 2010s but ultimately never won any export contracts, even though Saudi Arabia and Qatar seriously considered purchasing them and ultimately opted for alternatives.—
Paul Iddon,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
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Other members of the 32-state alliance involved in purchasing Russian oil include Hungary and Slovakia.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Contenders for the leadership of Brazil’s right wing coalition are already emerging and are bargaining for Bolsonaro’s endorsement for being presidential candidates in the 2026 elections.—
Adriana Carranca,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
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Oscar nominee and Lord of the Rings alum Astin will have quite the task ahead of them at the top of next year as SAG-AFTRA returns to the negotiating table with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which collectively bargains on behalf of the major Hollywood studios.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Auction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/auction. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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