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

Relevance

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

Examples of bid in a Sentence

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The other side: Pettersen, who's widely expected to win, is a former state lawmaker who made headlines as the first House member from Colorado to call for President Biden to drop his re-election bid. John Frank, Axios, 31 Oct. 2024 The petition is run by Musk’s America PAC, which has spent millions backing Trump’s election bid. Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
Verb
Cyndi Lauper Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell Tour Another pop icon is bidding fans a fond farewell. Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 1 Nov. 2024 Rock fans, musicians, producers and engineers looking for inspiration will have the opportunity to bid on a rare recording console that the Beatles used to track one of their most famous albums. Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for bid 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bid
Noun
  • Meanwhile, the integrity of democracy also looms large over this election; the Harris campaign has often reminded voters of Trump’s attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election and his threats to use government force against domestic political rivals.
    TIME Staff, TIME, 5 Nov. 2024
  • Trump, which peaked after the first assassination attempt in July.
    Noah Bressner, Axios, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • More evacuations have been ordered on the second day of the Mountain Fire, which has burned more than 20,000 acres in Ventura County.
    Bay Area News Group, The Mercury News, 8 Nov. 2024
  • On Tuesday, Vice President Nguema Obiang Mangue ordered new measures to prevent judiciary and ministry officials from engaging in illicit acts at work, a government statement said.
    Reuters, NBC News, 6 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • The stunning corruption scheme finally came to an end in September 2013, when authorities tricked his NCIS mole into thinking the most serious investigations had been closed and then invited Francis to San Diego for a meeting with Navy officials.
    Alex Riggins, The Mercury News, 6 Nov. 2024
  • These dogs are not only beautiful but also possess a temperament that is both inviting and soothing.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • Meanwhile, South Dakota is also on its third try at legal adult-use.
    Zack Huffman, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
  • After a few more tries, Bronze — who will turn 2 later this month — gives up and shakes the dandelion pieces onto the ground.
    Raven Brunner, People.com, 2 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • In another post, Kovalenko said North Korean troops are wearing Russian uniforms and are being trained to use drones, while Russia plans to send trainers to Pyongyang to directly instruct its ally on operating unmanned aircraft systems.
    Brad Dress, The Hill, 5 Nov. 2024
  • In a later post, the department instructed people to avoid the area of Dixieland and Hudson roads.
    Tracy Neal, arkansasonline.com, 4 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Angst-alleviating initiatives include free park-and-ride shuttle service to trailheads and the Sedona Cares Challenge, which asks visitors to agree to nine ways to help preserve Red Rock Country’s natural beauty, like not forging your own trails and packing out your trash.
    Erin Strout, Outside Online, 11 Nov. 2024
  • If the question is asked in a friendly way, most people will answer in the same vein.
    Jeanne Phillips, The Mercury News, 10 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Catherine tells the story of her rape as a trauma survivor does, doing her best to conjure the dark collage of sensory details imprinted on her memory.
    Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 8 Nov. 2024
  • As Milton approached, Phillips told residents to remember his Rule #7: Don’t freak out.
    Discover Magazine, Discover Magazine, 8 Nov. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near bid

Cite this Entry

“Bid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bid. Accessed 15 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on bid

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!