marketplace

noun

mar·​ket·​place ˈmär-kət-ˌplās 

1

a

: an open square or place in a town where markets or public sales are held

b

: market

the marketplace is the interpreter of supply and demand

2

: the world of trade or economic activity : the everyday world

3

: a sphere in which intangible values compete for acceptance

the marketplace of ideas

Synonyms of marketplace

• commerce
• trade
• traffic

Examples of marketplace in a Sentence

Their products must compete in the marketplace.

The company has struggled to survive in a rapidly changing marketplace.

Recent Examples on the Web

However, despite workers’ noticeable preference for remote positions, the demands of employers and a much tighter job market suggest many may need to adjust to the new realities of the marketplace. —Victoria Baeza Garcia, Dallas Morning News, 10 Feb. 2026

Walmart’s online marketplace has become a key part of its strategy to grow profit faster than sales and better compete against its longtime rival, Amazon. —Gabrielle Fonrouge, CNBC, 10 Feb. 2026

Counterfeits are also part of the risk conversation, especially on large marketplaces with third-party sellers. —Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026

The marketplace helped transform the New York enclave into Spanish Harlem. —Edward Segarra, USA Today, 10 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for marketplace

• aerospace
• anatase
• anyplace
• commonplace
• cyberspace
• database
• diabase
• diastase
• dnase
• elastase
• fireplace
• hyperspace

Kids Definition

marketplace

noun

mar·​ket·​place ˈmär-kət-ˌplās 

1

: an open square or place in a town where markets are held

2

: the world of trade

Legal Definition

marketplace

noun

mar·​ket·​place ˈmär-kət-ˌplās 

: the economic system through which different companies compete with each other to sell their products