purchase

verb

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pur·chase | \ ˈpər-chəs

purchased; purchasing

Definition of purchase

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : to obtain by paying money or its equivalent : buy

b : to acquire (real estate) by means other than descent

c : to obtain by labor, danger, or sacrifice

d archaic : gain, acquire

2 : to constitute the means for buying Our dollars purchase less each year.

intransitive verb

: to purchase something

purchase

noun

Definition of purchase (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : an act or instance of purchasing

2 : something obtained especially for a price in money or its equivalent

3a(1) : an advantage (such as a firm hold or position) used in applying one's power clutching the steering wheel for more purchase— Barry Crump

(2) : a means of exerting power

b(1) : a mechanical hold or advantage applied to the raising or moving of heavy bodies

(2) : an apparatus or device by which advantage is gained

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Examples of purchase in a Sentence

Verb He purchased a new suit for a hundred dollars. I need to purchase a new heavy coat. Noun The CD player is guaranteed for one year from the date of purchase. The car was an expensive purchase. He displayed his recent purchases with pride. The ice made it impossible for the car's wheels to gain a purchase on the road. The surface was so slick that the wheels couldn't gain purchase.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Griffith also announced his intention to renounce his U.S. citizenship and began researching how to purchase citizenship from other countries, prosecutors said. — William Thornton | Wthornton@al.com, al, "Alabama hacker arrested after cryptocurrency talk in North Korea," 2 Dec. 2019 The Glastonbury town council recently voted in favor of dedicating all 542 acres purchased from the Metropolitan District as open space. — Peter Marteka, courant.com, "Glastonbury preserves all 542 acres of newly acquired Metropolitan District land as open space," 2 Dec. 2019 Kelly Savage, 25, of Columbus, Ohio, was the first to purchase recreational marijuana from Exclusive Brands LLC’s shop in Ann Arbor. — chicagotribune.com, "People, many from out of state, line up in Michigan for first day of legal recreational marijuana sales," 1 Dec. 2019 Starting in March of 2018, just after flood season, locals at each site planted hundreds of trees, mostly purchased from nurseries in nearby provinces. — Jessica Wapner, Quartz, "Vietnamese women are hit harder by climate change—but they’re starting to fight back," 1 Dec. 2019 Foreo LUNA Play Plus Take your cleansing process to a whole new level by purchasing this tiny but mighty cleanser from Foreo. — Bianca Nieves, Teen Vogue, "15 Best Ulta Black Friday Deals 2019," 29 Nov. 2019 Proceeds from gifts purchased from these organizations will benefit local and worldwide charities and sustainable economies in developing countries around the world. — Anchorage Daily News, "2019 Holiday Fairs and Bazaars," 27 Nov. 2019 Health officials are urging the public to avoid vaping, and in particular, to avoid using products that contain THC or that were purchased from informal sources. — Megan Thielking, STAT, "New CDC report offers a possible clue about why vaping illnesses sprang up in 2019," 26 Nov. 2019 It can be made with Pacific Northwest oysters purchased from a high-quality fish market. — oregonlive, "15 Thanksgiving stuffing, dressing recipes to dress up the holiday table," 22 Nov. 2019 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Reports abound that there's still distance between the United States and China on key issues such as agricultural purchases and tariff rollbacks, and that negotiators could be at an impasse. — Julia Horowitz, CNN, "Will the US and China ever get a trade deal? Investors turn skeptical," 21 Nov. 2019 Kennealy says this money should help address constraints the tech schools face; demand has been high, but equipment purchases have not kept pace. — BostonGlobe.com, "Lynn Vocational Technical Institute," 21 Nov. 2019 Some 1,000 literary lovers from around the world donated more than £85,000 (just under $110,000 USD) toward the manuscript’s purchase. — Meilan Solly, Smithsonian, "Miniature Manuscript Penned by Teenaged Charlotte Brontë Will Return to Author’s Childhood Home," 21 Nov. 2019 The tariff war between China and the U.S. has prompted some manufacturers to delay purchases and investment. — NBC News, "Apple breaks ground on $1 billion Texas campus as Trump tours manufacturing facility," 20 Nov. 2019 The free-to-play Fortnite took a page from mobile games' playbook by making its money through in-game purchases like cosmetic upgrades or playing bonuses. — Lisa Marie Segarra, Fortune, "The Game Industry Is Suffering from A Battle Royale ‘Hangover’," 20 Nov. 2019 An Indianapolis woman accused of providing false information in connection with firearm purchases faces federal charges. — Andrew Clark, Indianapolis Star, "Indianapolis woman accused of buying guns for convicted felon," 20 Nov. 2019 After communication with Major League Baseball, Nassar relented, but made all reporters who were non-guests of the hotel purchase rooms in order to stay. — Chandler Rome, Houston Chronicle, "Astros owner Jim Crane won't address MLB investigation," 20 Nov. 2019 Condado's Oakley grand opening begins at 11 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 21 and the celebration lasts all day, until 2 a.m. Taco lovers will receive one free taco with any food purchase and half off margaritas all day, according to the Facebook event. — Madeline Mitchell, Cincinnati.com, "How to get a $25 Condado gift card... in Oakley? New restaurant opens Thursday," 20 Nov. 2019

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

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Last Updated

7 Dec 2019

Cite this Entry

“Purchase.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/purchase?pronunciation&lang=en_us&dir=p&file=purcha01. Accessed 7 December 2019.

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More Definitions for purchase

purchase

verb

English Language Learners Definition of purchase

(Entry 1 of 2)

formal : to buy (property, goods, etc.) : to get (something) by paying money for it

purchase

noun

English Language Learners Definition of purchase (Entry 2 of 2)

: an act of buying something

: something that is bought

: a firm hold or grip that makes movement possible

See the full definition for purchase in the English Language Learners Dictionary

purchase

verb

pur·chase | \ ˈpər-chəs

purchased; purchasing

Kids Definition of purchase

(Entry 1 of 2)

: to get by paying money : buy

purchase

noun

Kids Definition of purchase (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : an act of buying the purchase of supplies

2 : something bought

3 : a firm hold or grasp or a safe place to stand I could not get a purchase on the slippery ledge.

purchase

verb

pur·chase

purchased; purchasing

Legal Definition of purchase

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to acquire (real property) by means other than descent or inheritance

2 : to obtain by paying money or giving other valuable consideration specifically : to take (property) by a voluntary transaction (as a sale, mortgage, pledge, lien, or gift) that creates an interest and that is governed by the Uniform Commercial Code — see also bona fide purchaser

intransitive verb

: to purchase something

purchase

noun

Legal Definition of purchase (Entry 2 of 2)

: an act or instance of purchasing: as

a : the acquiring of real property by any means other than descent or inheritance

b : the acquiring of an interest in property especially in exchange for valuable consideration — see also word of purchase

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