auction

1 of 2

noun

auc·​tion ˈȯk-shən 

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 

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

Noun

The house said its Geneva sale was the most successful watch auction ever held, while its New York and Hong Kong watch auctions also set regional records. — Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 7 July 2026

The collection will be offered across two auctions in late July. — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 7 July 2026

Verb

Of these objects, eight were auctioned in early July by Bonhams and Apollo Art Auctions, and the remaining twenty were found in the collection of the British Museum. — News Desk, Artforum, 7 July 2026

The original three dragon eggs handled by Emilia Clarke's Daenerys Targaryen in season 1 of Game of Thrones are currently being auctioned off via Heritage Auctions. — Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 30 June 2026

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

Phrases Containing auction

• auction bridge
• auction house
• silent auction
• up for auction

Rhymes for auction

• concoction
• decoction

Kids 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

auction

2 of 2 verb

auctioned; auctioning -sh(ə-)niŋ 

: 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