marketplace

noun

mar·​ket·​place ˈmär-kət-ˌplās 

1

a

: an open square or place in a town where markets or public sales are held

b

: market

the marketplace is the interpreter of supply and demand

2

: the world of trade or economic activity : the everyday world

3

: a sphere in which intangible values compete for acceptance

the marketplace of ideas

Synonyms

• business
• commerce
• trade
• traffic

Examples of marketplace in a Sentence

Their products must compete in the marketplace.

The company has struggled to survive in a rapidly changing marketplace.

Recent Examples on the Web

State Senator Kelly Hancock, who sponsored the state’s 2017 autonomous-driving legislation, said the legislature wanted to promote the industry’s growth in a competitive marketplace and avoid barriers to entry. —Chris Kirkham and Abhirup Roy, USA TODAY, 11 Feb. 2025

Watch for special after-hours events, talks and marketplaces throughout the exhibit, wrapping up with a post-show plant sale on March 27. —Jennifer Day, Chicago Tribune, 7 Feb. 2025

One item on her to-do list: figure out how to expand Karl’s audience, even as the marketplace is awash in alternative beverages: seltzers, kombuchas, boutique spirits, non-alcoholic beers, alcopops and more. —Peter Rowe, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Feb. 2025

Shein’s on-demand manufacturing structure While Temu structured its business around being a marketplace, Shein first sold only its own products. —Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 7 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

marketplace

noun

mar·​ket·​place ˈmär-kət-ˌplās 

1

: an open square or place in a town where markets are held

2

: the world of trade

Legal Definition

marketplace

noun

mar·​ket·​place ˈmär-kət-ˌplās 

: the economic system through which different companies compete with each other to sell their products