# procurement

/pɹoʊkˈjʊɹmənt/ (US) · /pɹəkjˈɔːmənt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/procurement
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 2. a department

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal · Technical

the specific department in a company that is in charge of buying things.

For teachers: the organisational unit or department responsible for managing the acquisition of supplies and services.

- You need to send the invoice to procurement so they can approve the payment.
- The procurement department is currently reviewing several bids from international suppliers to find the most cost-effective solution for the new project.

### 3. the act of obtaining

noun · CEFR C2 · Formal · Literary

the act of getting something that is difficult to find or reach.

For teachers: the act of obtaining or gaining possession of something through effort or special means.

- The procurement of rare documents for the museum took several years of negotiation.
- The successful procurement of these classified files was considered a major victory for the investigative team.

## Examples

- The company changed its procurement process to save money.
- The government's procurement of medical supplies was delayed due to a sudden shortage of raw materials.
- Effective procurement requires a delicate balance between cost-efficiency and ethical sourcing, ensuring that the supply chain remains resilient against global market fluctuations.

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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.