bid 1 of 2

noun

Definition of bidnext
as in attempt
an effort to do or accomplish something a dramatic film that is widely regarded as the comedian's last-ditch bid to be taken seriously as an actor

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bid

2 of 2

verb

ˈbid How to pronounce bid (audio)
1
as in to order
to issue orders to (someone) by right of authority the servants were expected to do exactly as they were bidden

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to invite
to request the presence or participation of as company president, I bid you all to come to our annual holiday party!

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb bid contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of bid are charge, command, direct, enjoin, instruct, and order. While all these words mean "to issue orders," bid suggests giving orders peremptorily (as to children or servants).

she bade him be seated

How do charge and enjoin relate to one another, in the sense of bid?

Charge adds to enjoin an implication of imposing as a duty or responsibility.

charged by the President with a secret mission

How are the words command and order related as synonyms of bid?

Both command and order imply authority and usually some degree of formality and impersonality; command stresses official exercise of authority.

a general commanding troops

How does the word direct relate to its synonym instruct, in the sense of bid?

Direct and instruct both connote expectation of obedience and usually concern specific points of procedure or method, instruct sometimes implying greater explicitness or formality.

directed her assistant to hold all calls
the judge instructed the jury to ignore the remark

When can enjoin be used instead of bid?

While the synonyms enjoin and bid are close in meaning, enjoin implies giving an order or direction authoritatively and urgently and often with admonition or solicitude.

a sign enjoining patrons to be quiet

When might order be a better fit than bid?

The words order and bid can be used in similar contexts, but order may suggest peremptory or arbitrary exercise.

ordered his employees about like slaves

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of bid
Noun
In the expensive April 2024 proxy fight, Nelson Peltz and his Trian Fund Management, who were backed themselves by former Marvel CEO Ike Perlmutter, were attempting another bid to win seats on Disney’s board. —Dominic Patten, Deadline, 19 Sep. 2025 Over time, Walmart made its seller and product vetting more lax than Amazon's policies in a bid to woo sellers away from its rival, according to nine marketplace sellers and four current and former Walmart employees. —Gabrielle Fonrouge,paige Tortorelli, CNBC, 19 Sep. 2025
Verb
Kyle Schwarber's fit with the Philadelphia Phillies is immaculate, but 29 other teams will get the chance to bid on him this winter anyway. —Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025 Others are bidding for logging contracts—all that rainforest timber can create instant millionaires. —M. Rajshekhar, Time, 11 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bid
  1. attempt
  2. order
  3. invite
  4. try
  5. instruct
  6. ask
  7. tell
Noun
  • Today's attempt will be the first since then.
    — Mike Wall, Space.com, 18 Sep. 2025
  • Their latest attempt, through a kangaroo immigration court, exposes their true colors once again.
    — Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025
Definition of attempt
Verb
  • The next step can be ordering imaging of your liver like an ultrasound or CT to look for evidence of abnormalities like fat accumulation in your liver.
    — Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
  • The organization, a private nonprofit governing and promoting school sports events in the state, is not a defendant in the suit, but was ordered to provide extensive information in a 23-point list of requests included in the subpoena.
    — Samantha Riedel, Them., 15 Sep. 2025
Definition of order
Verb
  • Altay Bayindir’s quick, long and direct punt downfield set the tone, inviting Benjamin Sesko to dominate Trevoh Chalobah for the flick-on and send Bryan Mbeumo tearing through one on one.
    — Mark Critchley, New York Times, 21 Sep. 2025
  • Forward David Vazquez, who scored in SDFC’s 4-2 exhibition win against the Tijuana Xolos on Tuesday, was left off coach Marco Mitrovic’s roster despite being among the 23 players invited to final training camp earlier this month in Spain and starting the final tune-up against Morocco.
    — Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Sep. 2025
Definition of invite
Noun
  • How To Play Wordle Wordle is a daily word puzzle game where your goal is to guess a hidden five-letter word in six tries or fewer.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
  • Only Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals had defeated Mahomes' Chiefs in three straight tries before Hurts did so.
    — Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
Definition of try
Verb
  • When testing is over, as instructed, Fred asks about his blood pressure.
    — Bryant Stamford, Louisville Courier Journal, 18 Sep. 2025
  • First, Rackauckas instructed Fullerton Detective Antonio Hernandez to keep the tape recorder off during their first interview with Neary, the motion says.
    — Tony Saavedra, Oc Register, 17 Sep. 2025
Definition of instruct
Verb
  • In a video taken by a security camera at his mother's driveway, obtained by ABC News, a federal agent can be heard asking Gamez Lira to turn off the engine and to not resist.
    — Armando Garcia, ABC News, 18 Sep. 2025
  • Mary Bobenmoyer, owner and general manager of Our Town Coffee & Treats, didn’t know until a reporter asked her about it in late August.
    — Anna Clark, ProPublica, 18 Sep. 2025
Definition of ask
Verb
  • An allied assertion is that if AI generates foul code, tell the AI to get its act together and fix the darned stuff.
    — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
  • Carlson asked the state’s environmental agency about the protocol for discontinuing treatment and was told to keep the state posted.
    — Anna Clark, ProPublica, 18 Sep. 2025
Definition of tell

Phrases Containing bid

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bicycles
bid
biddability
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Cite this Entry

“Bid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bid. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.

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