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

Picassos have fetched staggering sums at auction in the past. —Jake McGowan, CNN Money, 11 Apr. 2026

The auction allocates securities based on the bids submitted, with primary dealers often purchasing a significant share and then distributing those securities in the secondary market. —Colin Dodds, Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Apr. 2026

Verb

In late 2024, Scheffler auctioned off his beloved 2012 GMC Yukon XL—the car his father gave him after college—through Heritage Auctions, with all proceeds benefiting Triumph Over Kid Cancer. —Sydney Lake, Fortune, 10 Apr. 2026

This spring, Jodi Picoult, Jennifer Egan and Lee Child will be among the writers auctioning off character names for future novels, with the proceeds benefiting the safety program. —ABC News, 10 Apr. 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