# bidder

/ˈbɪdɝ/ (US) · /bˈɪdɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bidder
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. at an auction or sale

noun · CEFR B2

a person who offers to pay a certain price for something being sold.

For teachers: an individual or organization that offers a specific price for an item or service, particularly at an auction or during a competitive sale.

- The highest bidder won the painting for over one million dollars.
- After a tense round of negotiations, the property was finally sold to a private bidder who remained anonymous throughout the process.

Usage: Often used in the phrase 'the highest bidder'.

### 2. business contracts

noun · CEFR B2 · Academic

a company that offers to do a job for a specific price.

For teachers: a firm or contractor that submits a formal proposal to provide goods or services at a stated price.

- Several bidders are competing for the contract to build the new bridge.
- The government agency invited three pre-qualified bidders to submit their final technical and financial proposals for the infrastructure project.

Usage: Common in procurement and corporate law contexts.

### 3. one who commands

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Literary

someone who gives an order or command.

For teachers: a person who issues a command, order, or instruction.

- The soldiers waited for the word of their bidder before moving forward.
- In the old stories, the spirit was bound to follow the will of its bidder without question.

Usage: Rare in modern speech; usually found in historical or poetic texts.

## Examples

- The highest bidder wins the painting.
- Several bidders raised their hands to compete for the antique vase.
- The final bidder secured the property after a tense auction that lasted nearly an hour.

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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.