offer

1 of 2

verb

of·​fer ˈȯ-fər How to pronounce offer (audio)
ˈä-
offered; offering ˈȯ-f(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce offer (audio)
ˈä-

transitive verb

1
a
: to present as an act of worship or devotion : sacrifice
to a Catholic church where she would offer a candle or so to his recoveryF. M. Ford
b
: to utter (something, such as a prayer) in devotion
offered up prayers of thanksgiving
2
a
: to present for acceptance or rejection : tender
was offered a job
b
: to present in order to satisfy a requirement
candidates for degrees may offer French as one of their foreign languages
3
a
: propose, suggest
offer a solution to a problem
b
: to declare one's readiness or willingness
offered to help me
4
a
: to try or begin to exert : put up
offered stubborn resistance
b
: threaten
offered to strike him with his cane
5
: to make available : afford
The summit offers a panoramic view.
especially : to place (merchandise) on sale
offers a range of cameras at reasonable prices
6
: to present in performance or exhibition
offered a new comedy
7
: to propose as payment : bid
offered me $100 for the recliner

intransitive verb

1
: to present something as an act of worship or devotion : sacrifice
We are going to offer at the holy shrine.
2
archaic : to make an attempt
3
: to present itself
buying land whenever opportunity offered
4
: to make a proposal (as of marriage)
He offered to her after a three months' courtship.

offer

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: a presenting of something for acceptance
considering job offers from several firms
an offer of marriage
b
: an undertaking to do an act or give something on condition that the party to whom the proposal is made do some specified act or make a return promise
2
obsolete : offering
3
: a price named by one proposing to buy : bid
4
a
b
: an action or movement indicating a purpose or intention
Phrases
on offer
chiefly British : being offered especially for sale

Examples of offer in a Sentence

Verb I was offered a position at a bank, but I turned it down. The victims were offered money as compensation for their injuries. If I may, I'd like to offer you a bit of advice. One of his neighbors offered to mow his lawn. A woman stopped and offered to help us. We don't need any help, but thank you for offering. They offer their customers a choice between soup or salad. Living in a large city offers a number of advantages. I'd like to offer a couple of comments on the points you've raised. I really don't know enough about it to offer an opinion. Noun After considering several job offers, she accepted a position with a local bank. He turned down an offer to run the company. We decided to hold out for a better offer. “How much do you want for the bike?” “I don't know. Make me an offer.” This special offer is good only while supplies last.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
There were more than 12 anonymous sources, who were offering quotes and insight into what was really happening behind the scenes. Emily Longeretta, Variety, 17 Mar. 2024 Marin orders taquitos, and will spend the rest of lunch generously offering up his meal to everyone at the table. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 17 Mar. 2024 Donation driven To address an immediate need for A positive blood and an ongoing need for all other blood types Stanford Blood Center is offering rewards for blood donors throughout the month of March. Anne Gelhaus, The Mercury News, 17 Mar. 2024 Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories. Escher Walcott, Peoplemag, 16 Mar. 2024 The park has a 230-acre lake and offers seasonal rentals of canoes and kayaks. Brenda Ordonez, The Enquirer, 16 Mar. 2024 But some regulations may prevent insurers from setting rates that reflect the risk, and in some areas insurers are struggling to offer affordable policies that are actuarially sound. Amy Green, WIRED, 16 Mar. 2024 But golfers feel the problem is most acute in L.A., where city courses in Griffith Park, Rancho Park and Hansen Dam offer unrivaled convenience and affordability, typically charging around $35 per person, higher on weekends and holidays. Matt Hamilton, Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2024 Belgium enacted a law in 2022 that requires employers to offer full-time workers a right to request a four-day workweek. Max Zahn, ABC News, 16 Mar. 2024
Noun
The Best DirecTV Plans and Deals of 2024 *Limited time offer. Danielle Directo-Meston, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Mar. 2024 Check its website for special offers, including four-nights-for-three specials and spa packages. Denny Lee, Travel + Leisure, 17 Mar. 2024 Special offer for Gear readers: Get WIRED for just $5 ($25 off). Brenda Stolyar, WIRED, 16 Mar. 2024 The reward offer for Osipov reflects the latest stage in the evolution of the West’s broader financial war against Russia two years into the war in Ukraine, as the United States and its allies increasingly target intermediaries accused of enabling Russian oligarchs to circumvent sanctions. Catherine Belton, Washington Post, 14 Mar. 2024 The offer is valid at participating U.S. locations and in-restaurant only. Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 14 Mar. 2024 Current rewards members will find this offer in their digital wallet on March 14. Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 13 Mar. 2024 Shift4 Payments is also up for sale and fielding offers from Fiserv and Amadeus IT Group, Reuters reported last month. Luisa Beltran, Fortune, 12 Mar. 2024 Tailoring experiences and showing appreciation through personalized messages, special offers or follow-ups fosters a sense of importance, nurturing customer loyalty and retention. Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 6 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'offer.' 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

Verb and Noun

Middle English offren, in sense 1, from Old English offrian, from Late Latin offerre, from Latin, to present, tender, from ob- toward + ferre to carry; in other senses, from Anglo-French offrir, from Latin offerre — more at bear

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of offer was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near offer

Cite this Entry

“Offer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/offer. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

offer

1 of 2 verb
of·​fer ˈȯf-ər How to pronounce offer (audio)
ˈäf-
offered; offering -(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce offer (audio)
1
: to present as an act of worship : sacrifice
2
: to present (something) to be accepted or rejected
was offered the job
offer $10 for the lamp
offer fruit for sale
3
a
: to present for consideration : suggest
offer a suggestion
b
: to declare one's willingness
offered to help
4
: to try to make or do : put up
offered stubborn resistance
5
: to make available
the hut offered protection from the wind and rain
6
: to propose as payment
I'll offer you $700 for that car

offer

2 of 2 noun
1
: an act or instance of offering
an offer to help
2
: a price suggested by one prepared to buy : bid
Etymology

Verb

Old English offrian "to present as an act of worship," derived from Latin offerre "to present, offer," from of-, ob- "to, toward" and ferre "to bear, carry" — related to defer entry 1, refer

Legal Definition

offer

noun
of·​fer
ˈȯ-fər
1
: a proposal, promise, or other manifestation of willingness to make and fulfill a contract or to bargain under proposed terms with another party that has the power to accept it upon receiving it
denied accepting the offer
see also revoke, tender offer
2
: a price named by one proposing to buy (as in a bid, bargain, or settlement) : the amount of an offer to pay money
decided the offer was too low
offer verb

More from Merriam-Webster on offer

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