bid 1 of 2

noun

Definition of bidnext
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

ˈbid How to pronounce bid (audio)
1
as in to order
to issue orders to (someone) by right of authority the servants were expected to do exactly as they were bidden

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
His message: the U.S. needs to race to build faster. Accenture, meanwhile, is urging its clients to responsibly grow and engineer its AI data centers in a bid to balance growth with environmental responsibility. —Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 3 July 2025 Meyer met her father, who wasn't named in a bid to protect her mom's identity, two days after being shown a photograph of him by the host of the show, Davina McCall. —Becca Longmire, People.com, 3 July 2025
Verb
Norville helmed her last episode of Inside Edition in June, bidding farewell to the show and its viewers in a heartfelt signoff. —Carson Blackwelder, People.com, 8 July 2025 Late last year, the satirical news source the Onion, along with the Sandy Hook families who Jones defamed, successfully bid on InfoWars to cover the damages. —Bianca Moreno-Paz, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for bid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bid
  1. attempt
  2. order
  3. invite
  4. try
  5. instruct
  6. ask
  7. tell
Noun
  • James buried his first attempt over Flagg, and then hit a 3-pointer after the 6-foot-8 Flagg missed his second attempt to give the Lakers a 5-0 lead.
    — Staff, Oc Register, 11 July 2025
  • In Lebanon, Tom Barrack, the U.S. ambassador to Turkey, is mediating between Israel, Hezbollah, and the Lebanese government in an attempt to establish a new peace regime between all three.
    — Daniel R. DePetris, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 July 2025
Definition of attempt
Verb
  • Fans can order custom looks — and tiny accessories to match — at their local David's Bridal store by making an appointment with the alterations team, according to a press release.
    — Erin Clack, People.com, 15 July 2025
  • For a low-calorie, sugar-free option, order a Caffè Misto with 2% milk or a non-dairy milk, like coconut or almond milk.
    — Jillian Kubala, Health, 15 July 2025
Definition of order
Verb
  • Erin Patterson invited her estranged husband’s mother, father, aunt and uncle to lunch at her home in the southern state of Victoria in Australia in July 2023 and served them beef Wellington made with death cap mushrooms.
    — David Mac Dougall, FOXNews.com, 12 July 2025
  • The podcast invites you to think about things in a new way, which will distract you from road trip boredom.
    — Toni Fitzgerald, Forbes.com, 12 July 2025
Definition of invite
Noun
  • As a powerful 6-foot-10, 265-pound big man, former Kansas Jayhawks men’s basketball player David McCormack hit just one 3-point shot in five tries during his four-year college career.
    — Gary Bedore July 10, Kansas City Star, 11 July 2025
  • On Wednesday, the Sox completed the three-game sweep of baseball’s worst team, the Colorado Rockies, who have won just 21 times in 93 tries, with a 10-2 victory at Fenway Park, getting pitching, hitting (15 knocks) and defense in the process.
    — Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 10 July 2025
Definition of try
Verb
  • Protesters were instructed to disperse before agents deployed what appeared to be tear-gas canisters and flash-bangs into the crowd, eventually breaking up the mob.
    — Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 11 July 2025
  • Shoppers are instructed to return the product to any Walmart store for a full refund.
    — MSNBC Newsweek, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
Definition of instruct
Verb
  • Fastow started by going door to door to dozens of insurance brokers in San Francisco and asking them about their pain points and most time consuming tasks.
    — Josipa Majic Predin, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
  • He was regularly asked about his access to national defense information, prosecutors said.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 14 July 2025
Definition of ask
Verb
  • Choosing which works to show and which stories to tell.
    — Y-Jean Mun-Delsalle, Forbes.com, 13 July 2025
  • Nobody told them to take the president off the stage.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 13 July 2025
Definition of tell

Phrases Containing bid

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bicycles
bid
biddability
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Cite this Entry

“Bid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bid. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.

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Nglish: Translation of bid for Spanish Speakers

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