trade-in

1 of 2

noun

: an item of merchandise (such as an automobile or refrigerator) taken as payment or part payment for a purchase

trade in

2 of 2

verb

traded in; trading in; trades in

transitive verb

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
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.
Noun
Following deals that knocked hundreds of dollars off the Pixel 9 series, and increasingly generous trade-in offers for Samsung’s newest Galaxy S25, the Apple iPhone 16 has now joined in with its own major offer. Janhoi McGregor, Forbes.com, 19 June 2025 Local governments in several cities across the country recently paused the consumer goods trade-in program, as the first two batches of central government subsidies have been exhausted with additional funding yet to arrive, Goldman Sachs pointed out. Anniek Bao, CNBC, 16 June 2025
Verb
For example, New Delhi’s effort to conduct some of its bilateral trades in local currencies rather than the U.S. dollar, although intended to immunize India against U.S. sanctions on third countries, could provoke a nationalist U.S. administration to limit cooperation with India. Ashley J. Tellis, Foreign Affairs, 17 June 2025 Even without the benefit of hindsight, this immediately vaults into the top-five most stunning, franchise-altering trades in Red Sox history, if not higher. Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 16 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for trade-in

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1915, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1891, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of trade-in was in 1891

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Trade-in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trade-in. Accessed 23 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

trade-in

1 of 2 noun
ˈtrād-ˌin
: something given in trade usually as part payment for a purchase

trade in

2 of 2 verb
(ˈ)trād-ˈin
: to turn in as a payment or part payment for a purchase

More from Merriam-Webster on trade-in

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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