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
The winner of the Mountain West Championship game will earn the Group of Five bid into the new 12-team College Football Playoff. Jay Ginsbach, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024 Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images Barnier’s ousting was the culmination of a political crisis that began when President Emmanuel Macron decided earlier this year to call snap parliamentary elections in a bid, ironically, to shore-up his centrist alliance’s power base in the National Assembly. Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 5 Dec. 2024
Verb
With the victory in Arlington, Texas kept its hopes for a national championship alive. 2023: Texas 49, Oklahoma State 21 As Texas prepared to bid the Big 12 farewell, Quinn Ewers threw for 452 yards and four touchdowns at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. Danny Davis, Austin American-Statesman, 2 Dec. 2024 Lord John is downright tickled by his new bride and bids her farewell. Lincee Ray, EW.com, 7 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for bid 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bid
Noun
  • In the first month, there was a riot and an escape attempt, and dozens of staff members continued to refuse to report to work.
    James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 12 Dec. 2024
  • As a part of the settlement, the false electors acknowledged their actions were used in an attempt to overturn an election.
    Laura Schulte, Journal Sentinel, 12 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Justice Julian Goose ordered a clerk to enter the pleas in Liverpool Crown Court as Rudakubana stayed mum during a video appearance from the London prison where he is being held.
    Brian Melley, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2024
  • Five Frisch's Big Boy restaurants, including the iconic Mainliner restaurant in Fairfax, have been ordered to vacate their locations in the latest round of evictions against the storied restaurant chain.
    Randy Tucker, The Enquirer, 17 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Biden has so far followed precedent during the transition by inviting Trump − who broke norms four years ago by skipping Biden's inauguration − for a meeting last month at the White House.
    Phillip M. Bailey, USA TODAY, 14 Dec. 2024
  • Trump was invited to France last weekend at the behest of President Emmanuel Macron.
    Niall Stanage, The Hill, 14 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • Domino's embraced the criticism and augmented their product offering and messaging to signal new meaning—and pizza lovers gave Domino's another try.
    Dr. Marcus Collins, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
  • Newsweek has contacted a representative for Swift for try to confirm the information.
    Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • To fill the rest of the ranks, the military instructed island governments to contribute enslaved men.
    Kinsey Gidick, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Dec. 2024
  • When Ethan puts it in his ear his traumatic night begins as the traveler instructs him to clear a carry-on suitcase or there will be hell to pay.
    Pete Hammond, Deadline, 12 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Sadly, the mainstream media hasn’t bothered to ask me any questions about it.
    Ronald J. Hansen, The Arizona Republic, 17 Dec. 2024
  • What's New TikTok is making a final push to stay active in the United States, asking the Supreme Court to block a federal law that could effectively ban the social media app unless its parent company, ByteDance, divests its U.S. operations.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 17 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • The vast majority of economists view Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as the standard measure of a country’s economic health, but simple logic tells those without PhDs that GDP is a monument to double counting that would cause even the most crooked of accountants to blanch.
    John Tamny, Forbes, 15 Dec. 2024
  • Ahead of the Season 6 premiere, Simms told several news outlets that the has no intention to leave any loose ends at the show's conclusion.
    Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 15 Dec. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near bid

Cite this Entry

“Bid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bid. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

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