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

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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
The 2034 bid document stated that one of the stadiums would be in NEOM, built at the top of The Line, half a kilometre off the ground, taller even than the Empire State Building. —James Montague, New York Times, 18 May 2025 Opener should have shown signs of life, perhaps via a five-club cue bid. —Deb Harvell, Arkansas Online, 18 May 2025
Verb
As Hayley Atwell bids farewell to her Mission: Impossible character Grace, she’s taken on the most important role of her life. —Glenn Garner, Deadline, 23 May 2025 But the retired Philadelphia Eagles center couldn’t understand why his brother bid in the first place. —Anna Lazarus Caplan, People.com, 21 May 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
  • This has interesting parallels to an earlier study on bin-opening in cockatoos where 54% of attempts by marked birds were successful, suggesting similarities in either their physical difficulty or time taken to learn.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 June 2025
  • Searching for the source of the gunfire, police came upon Baker, who said he and his friend had been fired on during a holdup attempt, and the friend, Hudson, had been wounded.
    — John Lynch, Arkansas Online, 4 June 2025
Definition of attempt
Verb
  • As part of his administration’s campaign against DEI programs, Trump has also ordered federal agencies, including FERC, to stop considering environmental justice in decision-making.
    — John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 29 May 2025
  • Showtime has ordered an eighth season of its drama The Chi, putting the show into rare company at the outlet.
    — Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 29 May 2025
Definition of order
Verb
  • This tale invites us to reflect on the nature of giving, taking and the balance of relationships.
    — Nitin Rakesh, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
  • Guests are invited to relax on Olive Hill, as well as the west lawn of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Hollyhock House — the only existing UNESCO World Heritage site in the city of Los Angeles.
    — Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2025
Definition of invite
Noun
  • At the time, Buffett had just moved to Key West from Nashville after giving country music a try and had recently divorced his first wife, Margie Washichek.
    — Jessica Booth, People.com, 5 June 2025
  • The loss represented the first time the USWNT had lost two times in three tries since its three-game losing streak to England, Spain, and Germany back in 2022.
    — Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 May 2025
Definition of try
Verb
  • But the next stage involves AIs which can perform specific actions, whether booking airline tickets or designing software, when instructed.
    — Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 5 June 2025
  • An immigration attorney told ABC7 that individuals received a text instructing them to appear for a routine case review in the South Loop, only to be detained shortly after.
    — Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 June 2025
Definition of instruct
Verb
  • Think about the vast difference between typing in keywords to get hyperlinks, and simply asking an intelligent entity a question.
    — John Werner, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
  • Madrid sources, who asked to remain anonymous to protect relationships, believed his last months at PSG and somewhat difficult exit impacted his start at Madrid.
    — Guillermo Rai, New York Times, 28 May 2025
Definition of ask
Verb
  • Our pro panel tells us that works out to about 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons of salt.
    — Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 June 2025
  • However, the Navy, which also celebrates its 250th anniversary in October, has no plans for a similar parade, a spokesperson told USA TODAY, neither does the Marine Corps for its 250th in November.
    — Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 7 June 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 10 Jun. 2025.

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Nglish: Translation of bid for Spanish Speakers

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