bidding: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, Business, Technical (e.g., auctions, contracts)
Quick answer
What does “bidding” mean?
The act of making an offer of a price, especially at an auction or in a competitive situation.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The act of making an offer of a price, especially at an auction or in a competitive situation; the act of offering to pay a particular amount for something.
The action or process of making bids; a formal or official invitation, command, or request (e.g., 'at someone's bidding'); the offering of a proposal to undertake a contract for work or services.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning or usage. The legal/contractual context ('tender bidding') is slightly more common in UK business English, while 'bidding process' is universal.
Connotations
Neutral/technical in both varieties. The phrase 'do someone's bidding' has a slightly archaic, formal, or literary connotation.
Frequency
Comparatively high frequency in business and finance contexts in both regions. Slightly higher frequency in American English due to larger scale of online auction platforms.
Grammar
How to Use “bidding” in a Sentence
[verb] + bidding (enter/begin/start/open the bidding)[adjective] + bidding (competitive/final/sealed bidding)bidding + [preposition] + [noun] (bidding for a contract)bidding + [noun] (bidding process/war)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “bidding” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- They are bidding for the construction contract.
- He bid £200 for the antique chair.
American English
- They are bidding on the construction project.
- She bid $500 for the vintage guitar.
adjective
British English
- The bidding document was over 100 pages long.
- She studied the bidding strategy carefully.
American English
- The bidding document was very complex.
- He explained the bidding rules before the auction.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
The process by which companies submit proposals and prices to win a contract (e.g., 'The tender bidding closes next Friday').
Academic
Used in economics or game theory to discuss auction mechanisms and strategic behaviour.
Everyday
Primarily associated with auctions, both physical and online (e.g., 'The bidding on eBay ended at midnight').
Technical
In card games like bridge, the phase where players declare the number of tricks they will take.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “bidding”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “bidding”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “bidding”
- Using 'bidding' as a general synonym for 'asking' or 'offering' without a competitive/price element.
- Misspelling as 'biding' (which means waiting).
- Incorrect preposition: 'bidding on a contract' (AmE) vs. 'bidding for a contract' (BrE/formal).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, while auctions are the most common everyday context, 'bidding' is also central to procurement (contract bidding/tenders) and card games like bridge.
'Bid' is the singular offer (noun) or the act of making that offer (verb). 'Bidding' is the uncountable noun for the overall activity or process involving multiple bids.
It is a formal or literary idiom meaning to obey someone's commands or orders, e.g., 'The servants were expected to do their master's bidding.'
A procurement process where all bidders submit their confidential offers in sealed envelopes simultaneously, preventing them from seeing each other's bids. It is designed to ensure fairness and prevent price manipulation.
The act of making an offer of a price, especially at an auction or in a competitive situation.
Bidding is usually formal, business, technical (e.g., auctions, contracts) in register.
Bidding: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbɪd.ɪŋ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbɪd.ɪŋ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “do someone's bidding (obey someone's commands)”
- “in a bidding war (in intense competition to buy)”
- “the bidding starts at... (the initial price is...)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of an auction where people are BIDDING. They are trying to WIN something by naming a price. The word sounds like 'sitting' but with a 'bid' - you 'sit' and make 'bids'.
Conceptual Metaphor
BIDDING IS COMPETITION (a contest of offers), BIDDING IS A RACE (towards a final price), A COMMAND IS A BID (archaic: 'at my bidding').
Practice
Quiz
In which context would 'bidding' LEAST likely be used?