buy

1 of 2

verb

ˈbī 

bought ˈbȯt  ; buying

transitive verb

1

: to acquire possession, ownership, or rights to the use or services of by payment especially of money : purchase

buy a car

buying stock in the company

bought us dinner

2

a

: to obtain in exchange for something often at a sacrifice

They bought peace with their freedom.

b

Christianity : redeem sense 6

bought us with his blood

3

: bribe, hire

buy a public official

4

: to be the purchasing equivalent of

The dollar buys less today than it used to.

5

: accept, believe

I don't buy that hooey.

—often used with into

buy into a compromise

intransitive verb

: to make a purchase

Now is a good time to buy.

buy

2 of 2

noun

1

: something of value at a favorable price

especially : bargain

It's a real buy at that price.

2

: an act of acquiring possession, ownership, or rights to the use or services of something by payment especially of money : an act of buying (see buy entry 1 sense 1) : purchase

an undercover drug buy

Phrases

buy into

: to purchase a portion of or interest in

the TV network bought into its local football team

buy it or buy the farm

: to get killed : die

buy time

: to delay an imminent action or decision : stall

Synonyms

Verb

• cop [slang]
• pick up
• purchase
• take

Noun

• bargain
• deal
• pennyworth
• snip [British]
• steal

Examples of buy in a Sentence

Verb

I bought this hat for $10.

He bought the quilt from a local artist.

Stock prices are low, so now is a good time to buy.

He said it was a mistake, but I don't buy it.

Noun

four cartons of ice cream for four dollars is a real buy

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

To buy a company, a PE firm typically relies on debt financing, aka borrowing the money from a bank. —Allison Morrow, CNN, 22 Nov. 2024

China’s love of European cinema peaked in 2017, when close to 35 million Chinese moviegoers bought a ticket for a European production, some 11.3 million for Luc Besson’s sci-fi spectacle Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets and 6.3 million for Paddington 2. —Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Nov. 2024

Noun

Bank of America bumped its price target from $50 to $55 and maintained its buy rating. —Todd Haselton, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2024

Garvey announced a $5-million ad buy in September focused on Latino voters, including radio ads for 40 Spanish-language stations. —Laura J. Nelson, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English byen, from Old English bycgan; akin to Goth bugjan to buy

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1879, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing buy

• bring-and-buy sale
• buy a pup
• buy-down
• buy-in
• buy off
• buy one's way
• buy out
• buy up
• option to buy

Kids Definition

buy

1 of 2 verb

ˈbī 

bought ˈbȯt  ; buying

1

: to get by paying money for : purchase

2

: to gain control over by bribery

buy votes

3

: believe sense 3

I don't buy that nonsense

buyer

ˈbī(-ə)r 

noun

buy

2 of 2 noun

: bargain entry 1 sense 2