bid 1 of 2

as in attempt
an effort to do or accomplish something a dramatic film that is widely regarded as the comedian's last-ditch bid to be taken seriously as an actor

Synonyms & Similar Words

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bid

2 of 2

verb

1
2
as in to invite
to request the presence or participation of as company president, I bid you all to come to our annual holiday party!

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb bid contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of bid are charge, command, direct, enjoin, instruct, and order. While all these words mean "to issue orders," bid suggests giving orders peremptorily (as to children or servants).

she bade him be seated

How do charge and enjoin relate to one another, in the sense of bid?

Charge adds to enjoin an implication of imposing as a duty or responsibility.

charged by the President with a secret mission

How are the words command and order related as synonyms of bid?

Both command and order imply authority and usually some degree of formality and impersonality; command stresses official exercise of authority.

a general commanding troops

How does the word direct relate to its synonym instruct, in the sense of bid?

Direct and instruct both connote expectation of obedience and usually concern specific points of procedure or method, instruct sometimes implying greater explicitness or formality.

directed her assistant to hold all calls
the judge instructed the jury to ignore the remark

When can enjoin be used instead of bid?

While the synonyms enjoin and bid are close in meaning, enjoin implies giving an order or direction authoritatively and urgently and often with admonition or solicitude.

a sign enjoining patrons to be quiet

When might order be a better fit than bid?

The words order and bid can be used in similar contexts, but order may suggest peremptory or arbitrary exercise.

ordered his employees about like slaves

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bid
Noun
When there was pushback that She the People was given a no-contract bid, Ellis argued that her friend’s organization was the only one in San Francisco qualified to produce a high-quality media campaign. Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 23 Apr. 2025 Trustee Bill Healy voted against the project, which was done without seeking bids. Mike Nolan, Chicago Tribune, 22 Apr. 2025
Verb
Rather than dwell on this possibility, or call for a halt to further investments until the federal funding picture resolves, supervisors instead took turns bidding Bergmann farewell and welcoming acting director Nadia Privara. Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Apr. 2025 Norcross, the buyer who bid on the Gramercy studio, decided to bow out instead of upping her offer. Kim Velsey, Curbed, 7 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bid
Noun
  • Automakers could be compensated for previous tariff payments as Trump attempts to pull back on fierce tariffs.
    Charles Singh, USA Today, 30 Apr. 2025
  • As an attempt to derive meaning from a meaningless phrase —which was, after all, the user's request—that's not half bad.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 29 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Just days ago, a federal judge ordered Ozturk be transferred back to a detention facility in Vermont.
    Lauren Irwin, The Hill, 23 Apr. 2025
  • But last week, the Trump administration ordered him to halt all the lab’s ALS research immediately as part of a more than $2.2 billion federal funding freeze.
    Chelsea Bailey, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Broadway's biggest night is nigh, but a number of Hollywood heavyweights weren't invited to the party.
    Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 2 May 2025
  • This dreamy alignment invites you to explore new beliefs or cultures, sparking curiosity about the world beyond your immediate surroundings.
    Staff Author, People.com, 1 May 2025
Noun
  • After poor weather forced ULA to scrub a launch attempt on April 9, the company will have to wait nearly three weeks for another try to launch an Atlas V rocket with Amazon's first full-up load of 27 Kuiper broadband satellites, Ars reports.
    Abigail Bassett, ArsTechnica, 25 Apr. 2025
  • On the fourth try, the bird may have found something.
    Amanda Schupak, CNN Money, 25 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • House Speaker Mike Johnson has instructed committees in the lower chamber to start hashing out the details of legislation between April 28 and May 9 in the hopes of having a final package passed by Memorial Day.
    Riley Beggin, USA Today, 30 Apr. 2025
  • His withdrawal followed reports that he was presented with two letters signed by Francis before his death, instructing him not to take part in the conclave.
    Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Alito asked Alan Schoenfeld, the county’s attorney.
    Devin Dwyer, ABC News, 22 Apr. 2025
  • In 2017, the National Institutes of Health asked Hotez to meet with Kennedy to move him off the hobbyhorse of a vaccine-autism link.
    Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • After the meal, Patterson told the group that she had been diagnosed with cancer after noticing a bump on her elbow, and asked for advice on whether to tell her kids.
    Rachel Treisman, NPR, 2 May 2025
  • Earlier this week, there were people in a shelter telling us about this mother, and she’s still got some bread left, or she’s still got some flour left.
    Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 2 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Bid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bid. Accessed 6 May. 2025.

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