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

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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 Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of bid
Noun
Honor was spun off from Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei in 2020 in a bid to avoid U.S. sanctions that were crippling Huawei’s smartphone business. Arjun Kharpal, CNBC, 17 Jan. 2025 Erik and Lyle Menendez had been scheduled to appear in court in the resentencing case from Jan. 30-31 amid their bid for freedom after being sentenced to life in prison for the murders of their parents. Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 17 Jan. 2025
Verb
During her final episode, Bush Hager, 43, also took a moment to bid farewell to her co-host of five years. Charna Flam, People.com, 10 Jan. 2025 Final show recap:Hoda Kotb bids tearful 'Today' show farewell Need a break? Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 10 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for bid 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bid
Noun
  • The first loss came down to kicker Scott Norwood sending a 47-yard field goal attempt wide right with 8 seconds left, losing to the New York Giants 20-19 in Super Bowl 25.
    Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 23 Jan. 2025
  • In the latest attempt to address a worsening youth mental health crisis, the New York City Council on Thursday passed a series of bills that would boost support for students in local public schools.
    Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 23 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Over a two-year period facing charges, he was twice ordered to stay in a mental health hospital; once fired his lawyer; and twice deemed incapable of proceeding to trial due to his mental health.
    Kallie Cox, Charlotte Observer, 17 Jan. 2025
  • This was not out of choice: After his capture and before his execution, Höss was ordered to write his memoir, giving an insight into the workings of a mind that was both ordinary and chillingly evil.
    Saskya Vandoorne, CNN, 17 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • In the late Nineties, David Spero invited all four Raspberries to his house to see if a reunion was possible.
    Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 25 Jan. 2025
  • Designed with geometric forms that evoke the pyramids in the backdrop, the museum invites visitors to journey through ancient Egypt’s 3,000-year history, starting with the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt around 3100 B.C. and ending with the Roman conquest in 30 B.C.
    Kate McMahon, Travel + Leisure, 25 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • But what makes our own effort worthy of admiration is not the perfection of the first try, but the effort of pushing into uncomfortable territory, and by trying over and over again, despite the stumble and failure!
    Nathan Furr, Forbes, 24 Jan. 2025
  • Matt Painter has these guys playing slowly, down to 326th in shot tries.
    Steven Louis Goldstein, The Athletic, 24 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The president also instructed federal officials to investigate local authorities that interfere with the new anti-immigration measures, according to a Justice Department memo sent Tuesday and obtained by NBC News.
    Sara Dorn, Forbes, 24 Jan. 2025
  • One of Huffman's orders instructed officials to start the process of phasing out Biden administration policies that allowed certain migrants to enter the U.S. through an immigration authority known as parole.
    Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 24 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • During the news conference, several people described how the fires had affected their families and asked public officials to hold oil companies to account.
    Minyvonne Burke, NBC News, 17 Jan. 2025
  • However, the next morning, January 8, Kelley heard from Curry's landlord to ask about the actress' evacuation status, as an evacuation notice was sent out in the middle of the night — at 3:30 a.m.
    Michelle McGahan, Newsweek, 16 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • On October 7, the anniversary of Hamas’ attack on Israel in 2023, CBS News executives told staffers that Dokoupil’s report failed to meet the network’s standards.
    Brian Steinberg, Variety, 14 Jan. 2025
  • McMahon told the Pasadena Star News that her friend was unique, eccentric and insightful.
    Kierra Frazier, CBS News, 14 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near bid

Cite this Entry

“Bid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bid. Accessed 29 Jan. 2025.

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