auction

noun auc·tion \ ˈȯk-shən \

|Updated on: 17 Jun 2018

Examples: auction in a Sentence

Definition of auction

1 : a sale of property to the highest bidder

2 : the act or process of bidding in some card games

See auction defined for English-language learners

See auction defined for kids

Examples of auction in a Sentence

She bought the desk at an auction.
He made several bids at the auction.

Recent Examples of auction from the Web

At an influencer function, the guest list is microscopic in comparison; there are no auctions or emcees; checkbooks come out for retail therapy only; and attendees are encouraged to use their smart phones mid-conversation.

— amber elliott, Houston Chronicle, "VIP view: Post Oak Hotel welcomes Houston bloggers to 29 Degrees North fashion boutique," 13 June 2018
But chances are its latest buyer, who picked it up for $374,000 at auction in the Hague, Netherlands, last month, doesn’t mind.

— jason daley, Smithsonian, "The Odyssey of the World’s Largest Freshwater Pearl," 12 June 2018
Enfield Safe Grad hosts an annual auction in November.

— dennis hohenberger, Courant Community, "Tag Sale Raises Money For Safe Grad Night," 12 June 2018
As a result, there are increasing reports of migrants being sold in slave auctions before facing the most appalling conditions.

— nima elbagir and lauren said-moorhouse, CNN, "US sanctions Libyan smugglers after CNN investigation," 11 June 2018
Also today, Italy’s auction of debt will draw scrutiny by handing investors another opportunity to react to the election of the populist government and its promises of hefty spending increases.

— Fortune, "Watch Out: This Could Be the World Economy's Most Important Week of 2018," 11 June 2018
Justify also would become only the second Triple Crown winner sold previously at public auction.

— john cherwa, latimes.com, "Racing! Seattle Slew is No. 3 in Triple Crown countdown; Jon White’s final Belmont rankings," 8 June 2018
Greenbacker said his family plans to conduct an auction later this month to sell off its dairy herd.

— gregory b. hladky, courant.com, "Connecticut Dairy Farmers Losing Hope, Selling Herds," 8 June 2018
Last month, at a New York auction, St. John purchased the prize won by Native Dancer 65 years ago — a replica of the iconic Woodlawn Vase — for $100,000.

— mike klingaman, baltimoresun.com, "Owner's trophy for Native Dancer's 1953 Preakness win bought at auction by local developer," 8 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'auction.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of auction

Latin auction-, auctio, from augēre to increase — more at eke

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1595

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

auction

verb

Definition of auction

auctioned; auctioning play \-sh(ə-)niŋ\

transitive verb

: to sell at auction

auctioned off his library

See auction defined for English-language learners

Examples of auction in a Sentence

They auctioned a similar desk last year.
The house was auctioned last week.

Recent Examples of auction from the Web

Add this to the list of weird things auctioned off on eBay.

— charlotte carroll, SI.com, "Someone is Auctioning Off a Cheeto Shaped Like the NBA Logo," 6 June 2018
It was auctioned by the Amsterdam Pearl Society in the Hague and bought by a Japanese trader, Agence France-Presse reports.

— Time, "The World's Largest Freshwater Pearl Is Sold at Auction for $374,000," 1 June 2018
In October, Phillips set the record for the most expensive wristwatch ever auctioned with the $17.8 million sale of a Rolex that once belonged to actor Paul Newman.

— Fortune, "Elvis's Diamond Omega Watch Sold for $1.8 Million at Auction," 15 May 2018
In October, Phillips set the record for the most expensive wristwatch ever auctioned with the $17.8 million sale of a Rolex that once belonged to actor Paul Newman.

— bloomberg news, NOLA.com, "Elvis' diamond Omega watch sells at auction for $1.8 million," 14 May 2018
In October, Phillips set the record for the most expensive wristwatch ever auctioned with the $17.8 million sale of a Rolex that once belonged to actor Paul Newman.

— corinne gretler, Bloomberg.com, "Elvis's Diamond Omega Watch Fetches $1.8 Million in Auction," 14 May 2018
That music video is actually the payoff to a joke set up in a video Reynolds shot for an Omaze charity campaign, auctioning off a pink Deadpool suit to one lucky winner.

— chris thilk, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Deadpool 2' Marketing Blitz Bets on Too Much Being Just Enough," 14 May 2018
Both paintings are among 893 lots from the Rockefeller collection to be auctioned by Christie’s in New York over three days, starting on May 8th (671 extra lots will be sold online).

— The Economist, "The Rockefellers’ treasures go under the hammer," 3 May 2018
The covert-ops storyline in particular had many outlandish turns, including a multi-episode arc in Season 4 where Olivia is kidnapped at the orders of the vice president and auctioned on the dark web.

— tanisha c. ford, The Atlantic, "The Episode That Captured the Best and Worst of Scandal," 19 Apr. 2018