often attributive
1
a(1)
: a meeting together of people for the purpose of trade by private purchase and sale and usually not by auction
(2)
: the people assembled at such a meeting
b(1)
: a public place where a market is held
especially
: a place where provisions are sold at wholesale
a farmers' market
(2)
: a retail establishment usually of a specified kind
a fish market
2
archaic
: the act or an instance of buying and selling
3
: the rate or price offered for a commodity or security
4
a(1)
: a geographic area of demand for commodities or services
sell in the southern market
(2)
: a specified category of potential buyers
the youth market
b
: the course of commercial activity by which the exchange of commodities is effected : extent of demand
the market is dull
c(1)
: an opportunity for selling
a good market for used cars
(2)
: the available supply of or potential demand for specified goods or services
the labor market
d
: the area of economic activity in which buyers and sellers come together and the forces of supply and demand affect prices
producing goods for market rather than for consumption
marketed; marketing; markets
: to deal in a market
Synonyms
Examples of market in a Sentence
Noun
I stopped at the market on the way home for some juice.
They are trying to develop foreign markets for American cotton.
The company sells mainly to the Southern market.
New markets are opening up all over the world.
Advertisers are trying to appeal to the youth market.
targeting a more mature market
a reference work for the educational market
Verb
The company has spent millions marketing the latest version of its software.
These products are being aggressively marketed to teenagers through television ads.
He markets his wares at craft shows.
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Recent Examples on the Web
Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 25 Nov. 2023
Take up to 40 percent off some of the most comfortable mattresses on the market.
—Alex Erdekian, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Nov. 2023
The New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq will close at 1 p.m. ET, followed by bond markets at 2 p.m.
Oil prices steadied.
—Chelsey Dulaney, WSJ, 24 Nov. 2023
Phil Blair, Manpower YES: So much change, good and bad has happened in the residential real estate market.
—Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Nov. 2023
Watch live local and out of market games and (with the premium subscription) replays.
—Chris Morris, Fortune, 24 Nov. 2023
Selling all of your stock just before the market falls, and buying shares just before the market rises, is a brilliant strategy.
—Jeff Sommer, New York Times, 24 Nov. 2023
This lack of quality is one of the big reasons that has prevented the carbon market from scaling.
—WIRED, 14 Nov. 2023
His reporting primarily focuses on the U.S. housing market, the business of sports and bankruptcy.
—Khristopher J. Brooks, CBS News, 14 Nov. 2023
Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Nov. 2023
The professor founded Rum and Sargassum, a company that would continue to develop and market this new biofuel, in partnership with her continuing flow of students.
—Stephanie Hanes, The Christian Science Monitor, 21 Nov. 2023
This usually involves a retailer raising the price on a particular item — say a flat-screen TV — for a short period, only to mark it down to the original price while marketing it as a limited-time, steep discount.
—Jaclyn Peiser, Washington Post, 21 Nov. 2023
Offering Packages Today, properties are generally marketed through brokerage firm websites.
—Jack Stone, Forbes, 13 Nov. 2023
My only confusion is why the Nabisco/Mondelez overloads don’t market these more.
—Carey Polis, Bon Appétit, 13 Nov. 2023
It’s generally recommended to have one litter box per cat in your household, though many automatic cat litter boxes are marketed for use with more than one cat (and have features that can provide insights for individual cats in a multiple-cat household).
—Katherine Alex Beaven, Peoplemag, 10 Nov. 2023
Consumer Product Safety Commission Even though loungers are marketed for awake time, newborns can quickly nod off in the cozy, pillow-like product, according to Dr. Rachel Moon, chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ task force on sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS.
—Suzy Khimm, NBC News, 8 Nov. 2023
Ruz pointed out that Netflix did not market the film or release it theatrically.
—Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 15 Nov. 2023
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Noun
Indian project market Film Bazaar has revealed the winners and deals that took place during the event.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 25 Nov. 2023
Take up to 40 percent off some of the most comfortable mattresses on the market.
—Alex Erdekian, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Nov. 2023
The New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq will close at 1 p.m. ET, followed by bond markets at 2 p.m.
Oil prices steadied.
—Chelsey Dulaney, WSJ, 24 Nov. 2023
Phil Blair, Manpower YES: So much change, good and bad has happened in the residential real estate market.
—Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Nov. 2023
Watch live local and out of market games and (with the premium subscription) replays.
—Chris Morris, Fortune, 24 Nov. 2023
Selling all of your stock just before the market falls, and buying shares just before the market rises, is a brilliant strategy.
—Jeff Sommer, New York Times, 24 Nov. 2023
This lack of quality is one of the big reasons that has prevented the carbon market from scaling.
—WIRED, 14 Nov. 2023
His reporting primarily focuses on the U.S. housing market, the business of sports and bankruptcy.
—Khristopher J. Brooks, CBS News, 14 Nov. 2023
Verb
Like Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, Napoleon was fully financed and marketed by Apple Original Films.
—Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Nov. 2023
The professor founded Rum and Sargassum, a company that would continue to develop and market this new biofuel, in partnership with her continuing flow of students.
—Stephanie Hanes, The Christian Science Monitor, 21 Nov. 2023
This usually involves a retailer raising the price on a particular item — say a flat-screen TV — for a short period, only to mark it down to the original price while marketing it as a limited-time, steep discount.
—Jaclyn Peiser, Washington Post, 21 Nov. 2023
Offering Packages Today, properties are generally marketed through brokerage firm websites.
—Jack Stone, Forbes, 13 Nov. 2023
My only confusion is why the Nabisco/Mondelez overloads don’t market these more.
—Carey Polis, Bon Appétit, 13 Nov. 2023
It’s generally recommended to have one litter box per cat in your household, though many automatic cat litter boxes are marketed for use with more than one cat (and have features that can provide insights for individual cats in a multiple-cat household).
—Katherine Alex Beaven, Peoplemag, 10 Nov. 2023
Consumer Product Safety Commission Even though loungers are marketed for awake time, newborns can quickly nod off in the cozy, pillow-like product, according to Dr. Rachel Moon, chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ task force on sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS.
—Suzy Khimm, NBC News, 8 Nov. 2023
Ruz pointed out that Netflix did not market the film or release it theatrically.
—Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 15 Nov. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'market.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun and Verb
Middle English, probably from Continental Germanic; akin to Old Saxon markat marketplace, Old High German marcāt, both ultimately from Latin mercatus trade, marketplace, from mercari to trade, from merc-, merx merchandise
First Known Use
Noun
12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)
Verb
15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of market was
in the 12th century
Phrases Containing market
Dictionary Entries Near market
Cite this Entry
“Market.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/market. Accessed 2 Dec. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
market
1 of 2 noun
mar·ket
ˈmär-kət 
1
a
: a meeting together of people to buy and sell
b
: the people at such a meeting
c
: a public place where a market is held
especially
: a place where provisions are sold at wholesale
2
: a store where foods are sold to the public
a meat market
3
a
: a geographic region in which things may be sold
markets for American cotton
b
: a particular category of people who might buy
the youth market
4
: an opportunity for selling
a good market for used cars
market
2 of 2 verb1
: to deal in a market
2
: to offer for sale in a market : sell
marketing
noun
-iŋ
Legal Definition
market
noun
mar·ket
1
: the rate or price at which a security or commodity is currently selling : market price
2
a
: a geographical area of demand for commodities or services
seeking new foreign markets
b
: a formal organized system enabling the transaction of business between buyers and sellers of commodities
a futures market
see also stock market
c
: a specified category of potential buyers
the youth market
3
a
: the course of commercial activity by which the exchange of commodities is accomplished
the market is quiet
b
: an opportunity for selling
developing new markets
c
: the available supply of or potential demand for specified goods or services
the labor market
the market for durable goods
d
: the area of economic activity in which buyers and sellers come together and the forces of supply and demand affect prices
More from Merriam-Webster on market
Nglish: Translation of market for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of market for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about market
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