: an item of merchandise (such as an automobile or refrigerator) taken as payment or part payment for a purchase
traded in; trading in; trades in
1
: to turn in as payment or part payment for a purchase or bill
trade the old car in on a new one
2
Examples of trade-in in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Andy Rose, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2025
In a filing submitted as part of the lawsuit, though, Jenkins’s attorney said that the deposits and loans highlighted in the suit came from vehicle trade-ins, refinancing, the sale of vehicles and property, and other innocuous sources, and provided a detailed accounting.
—Ronan Farrow, The New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2025
Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 22 Mar. 2025
In March, the highest share ever of Teslas from model year 2017 or newer were traded in toward new or used purchases at dealerships, according to Edmunds, a U.S. car shopping website.
—Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for trade-in
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Noun
The company has clearly struggled since Trump took office and Musk took over DOGE, with the rate of Tesla trade-ins tripling over the past year, according to Edmunds, and its stock price down about 40% from its high mark.
—Andy Rose, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2025
In a filing submitted as part of the lawsuit, though, Jenkins’s attorney said that the deposits and loans highlighted in the suit came from vehicle trade-ins, refinancing, the sale of vehicles and property, and other innocuous sources, and provided a detailed accounting.
—Ronan Farrow, The New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2025
Verb
With anecdotes of owners trading in their Teslas amid backlash over CEO Elon Musk’s unelected role as agency dismantler-in-chief for Trump 2.0, don’t be surprised to see a few more of the EVs parked under giant tube men at Chicago-area used car lots this spring.
—Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 22 Mar. 2025
In March, the highest share ever of Teslas from model year 2017 or newer were traded in toward new or used purchases at dealerships, according to Edmunds, a U.S. car shopping website.
—Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for trade-in
Cite this Entry
“Trade-in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trade-in. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.
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