outbid
C1Formal/Neutral
Definition
Meaning
To offer to pay a higher price for something, especially at an auction, than another person.
To surpass another's offer, proposal, or effort in any competitive situation where terms or value are being contested.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily used in transactional contexts (auctions, procurement). Implies a direct, often binary, competition where one party's gain is another's loss.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Spelling is consistent. The past tense and past participle form 'outbid' is standard in both, though 'outbade' is archaic.
Connotations
Neutral in both. Connotes competitive market dynamics.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in British English in formal auction contexts; equally understood in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[subject] outbid [object] (for [something])[subject] was outbid (by [agent])Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Outbid, outfox, and outlast (situational, not fixed).”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Common in corporate acquisitions, procurement, and auction reports.
Academic
Used in economics papers on auction theory and market behaviour.
Everyday
Used when discussing house purchases at auction or online bidding sites.
Technical
Used in auctioneering and e-commerce platform documentation.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- A property developer outbid the local council for the derelict land.
- We were sadly outbid for the Victorian terrace at the last moment.
American English
- A tech giant outbid all competitors for the startup's patent portfolio.
- They got outbid by an all-cash offer on the house.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Someone outbid me for the book online.
- We wanted the painting, but another collector outbid us.
- The construction company was outbid by a foreign investor for the contract.
- To win the auction, you must be prepared to outbid aggressive competitors.
- Despite their considerable resources, the hedge fund was outbid by a strategic partnership acting in concert.
- The government's attempt to outbid private interests for the spectrum licence proved politically contentious.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a bid going OUT of the room because someone else made a higher bid, OUT-BIDding you.
Conceptual Metaphor
COMPETITION IS WAR (bidding war, outmaneuver).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid calquing as 'перебить ставку' in non-auction contexts where it means 'interrupt'. Use 'перебить' only for auctions; otherwise, 'предложить больше' or 'перекупить' might be more accurate.
- Do not confuse with 'outbuy', which is not standard.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'outbid' for non-monetary competitions (e.g., 'He outbid me in the race' is incorrect).
- Incorrect past tense: 'outbidded' (correct: 'outbid').
Practice
Quiz
In which scenario is the verb 'outbid' used correctly?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily yes, it refers to offering a higher price. It can be extended metaphorically to other competitive offerings (e.g., 'outbid with a better proposal'), but the core meaning is financial.
The principal parts are: outbid (present), outbid (past), outbid (past participle). The form 'outbade' is obsolete.
Yes, it's common in mergers & acquisitions, procurement, and any tender process where competing financial offers are made.
The direct opposite is 'underbid'. In an auction context, you can also say 'submit a lower bid' or simply 'lose the bid'.