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

About 175,000 people statewide have newly enrolled in Covered California, the state’s Affordable Care Act marketplace, so far for 2026. —Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 21 Jan. 2026

The 2026 Sip and Savor pass with six digital coupons good for individual items at marketplace booths and select restaurants throughout the festival will cost $49 ($46 for Magic Keyholders). —Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 20 Jan. 2026

While important, this leaves districts on their own to assess a large marketplace of products with little guidance on effectiveness. —Ulrich Boser, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026

Then, curate your collection by visiting estate sales, online marketplaces or thrift stores, which can all offer high-quality furnishings and decor at a fraction of the cost of buying new. —Cori Sears, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Jan. 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