1
a
past tense and past participle bid
(1)
: to offer (a price) whether for payment or acceptance
The contractor bid $10,000 less than his nearest competitor.
(2)
card games
: to make a bid (see bid entry 2 sense 4) of or in (a suit at cards)
bid one spade
b
: offer
—usually used in the phrase to bid defiance
The poorest man may in his cottage bid defiance to all the forces of the Crown.—
William Pitt
William Pitt2
3
: to give expression to
bade a tearful farewell
: to make a bid (see bid entry 2)
Several other companies bid on the job.
bidder
noun
1
a
: a statement of what one will give or take for something
is now accepting bids for the renovation project
especially
: an offer of a price
made a bid of $100 for the painting
b
: something offered as a bid
c
: the act of one who bids (see bid entry 1)
2
: an opportunity to bid
It's your bid.
3
: an attempt or effort to win, achieve, or attract
a bid for reelection
4
card games
a
: an announcement of what a cardplayer proposes to undertake
b
: the amount of such a bid
a 3-heart bid
c
: a bridge hand on which one may reasonably bid
5
: invitation
a bid to join the sorority
6
informal
: a sentence or term of imprisonment : a stint in jail
I did my first bid at seventeen for assault, robbery, and burglary in the first degree.—William Skeans, Jr.
William Skeans, Jr.
twice a day
bachelor of industrial design
Synonyms
Examples of bid in a Sentence
Verb
I'll bid $100 for the lamp but no higher.
He plans to stop bidding if the bids go over $500.
She bid for a desk and a chair.
Several local companies are bidding for the same job.
His company bid on the snow removal contract.
He bid and I passed.
We did as we were bid.
Noun
Bids for the painter's work have been quite high at recent auctions.
She had the highest bid.
He made a bid of $100 for the painting.
He made the opening bid.
The company is accepting bids for the renovation project.
Recent Examples on the Web
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post, 10 Nov. 2024
Trump is once again concluding his White House bid with an event in Grand Rapids, though it could be affected by a trend that has increasingly characterized his rallies: declining attendance.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
Grant Stringer, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
Boost Mobile is continuing its bid for your business with a new round of announcements about its network, its performance, and its phone lineup.
—Rob Pegoraro, PCMAG, 11 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for bid 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Verb
Two people bid a total of $29,000 to be donated to St. Joseph’s Hospital.
—Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post, 10 Nov. 2024
Trump is once again concluding his White House bid with an event in Grand Rapids, though it could be affected by a trend that has increasingly characterized his rallies: declining attendance.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
Noun
In the survey, 13% ranked Porter, who lost a bid for U.S. Senate in the March primary election to fellow Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff and Republican former baseball star Steve Garvey, as their first or second choice for governor.
—Grant Stringer, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
Boost Mobile is continuing its bid for your business with a new round of announcements about its network, its performance, and its phone lineup.
—Rob Pegoraro, PCMAG, 11 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for bid
Dictionary Entries Near bid
Cite this Entry
“Bid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bid. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bid
1 of 2 verb1
a
: order entry 1 sense 2a, command
did as we were bidden
2
: to express to
bade me farewell
3
past and past participle bid
: to make an offer for something (as at an auction)
bid $10 for a chair
bidder
noun
bid
2 of 2 noun1
: an offer to pay a certain sum for something or to perform certain work at a stated fee
2
: a turn or opportunity to bid
3
: invitation sense 2
received a bid to the state tournament
4
a
: an announcement of what a card player will try to win
b
: the amount of such a bid
5
: an attempt to win, achieve, or attract
made a strong bid for the job
Legal Definition
bid
1 of 2 verb
bid; bidding
: to offer (a price) for payment or acceptance
: to make a bid : state what one will pay or take in payment
bidder
noun
bid
2 of 2 noun1
: the act of one who bids
2
a
: a statement of what one will pay for something
b
: a statement of what one (as a contractor) will charge for something (as supplies or labor)
3
: an opportunity to bid
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