# auction off

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/auction-off
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to sell something to the person who offers the most money at a public sale.

For teachers: to dispose of assets or property via an auction process; typically implies a desire to clear stock or liquidate assets quickly.

## Examples

- The bank will auction off the old house next week.
- After the gallery closed, the owners decided to auction off the remaining paintings to pay their debts.
- The government intends to auction off the telecommunications spectrum to the highest bidders among the competing national providers.

## Pitfalls

- Not "They auctioned the furniture off to the museum." but "They auctioned off the furniture to the museum." — While technically separable, 'auction off' is most commonly used with the object following the particle, especially for long noun phrases.

## Usage notes

- usually used when selling multiple items or a large property to the highest bidder.
- Teaching tip: the particle 'off' often suggests a sense of completion or getting rid of something, similar to 'sell off' or 'clear out'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.