put up for auction

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "put up for auction" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to describe the process of offering something for sale through public bidding. For example, "The antique painting was put up for auction at the art gallery."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

Several other Koons works put up for auction didn't sell.

The New York Times

Letters of their exchange were put up for auction today.

The Guardian - Books

All of it was junked, put up for auction.

The New York Times - Books

We invariably sell 90 to 100 percent of the units that we put up for auction.

The New York Times

The piece is expected to be put up for auction early in 2013.

The New York Times

A look at some of the clothes being put up for auction by the actress.

The New York Times

(They, too, were put up for auction on eBay, but no one bid on these).

The New York Times - Magazine

Eight houses awarded to the city's Land Bank are being put up for auction.

The Guardian

According to letters put up for auction in 1998 at Sotheby's, she was also Einstein's lover.

The New York Times - Science

When her clothing collection was put up for auction, at Christie's, Guinness preëmpted the sale by buying the whole lot.

The New Yorker

A sub-fossilised egg belonging to an extinct Elephant Bird has been put up for auction today.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about auctions, consider using specific verbs to enhance clarity. For instance, use "consign" to describe the act of entrusting an item to an auction house or "bid" to describe the act of offering a price.

Common error

Be careful not to confuse "put up for auction" with similar phrases that imply different stages of the auction process. For example, "going to auction" suggests an imminent event, while "sold at auction" indicates a completed sale.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "put up for auction" functions as a compound verb indicating the action of offering something for sale through a bidding process. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and widespread usage. The phrase typically requires a direct object, specifying what is being auctioned.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

66%

Wiki

10%

Encyclopedias

2%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Science

2%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "put up for auction" is a common and grammatically sound phrase used to describe the act of offering something for sale through a bidding process. Ludwig AI confirms this. It is frequently found in news and media, with a neutral register suitable for various contexts. While alternatives like ""sell at auction"" or ""offer for sale at auction"" exist, "put up for auction" provides a clear and widely understood way to convey the idea of offering something for bidding. Remember to avoid ambiguity by using precise auction-related terminology.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

offer for sale at auction

Replaces the phrasal verb with a more formal and direct expression using "offer for sale".

sell at auction

A simpler and more direct way of expressing the action.

auction off

A more concise phrasal verb with the same core meaning.

have up for auction

Indicates that something is currently in the process of being auctioned.

place under the hammer

Uses a more idiomatic expression, common in British English, referring to the auctioneer's hammer.

list for auction

Implies a more modern, often online, auction setting.

make available for auction

Emphasizes the act of making something accessible for bidding.

present for auction

Similar to "make available", but with a slightly more formal tone.

submit to auction

Suggests a formal process of consigning an item to an auction house.

consign to auction

Highlights the act of entrusting an item to an auction house for sale.

FAQs

What does "put up for auction" mean?

Putting something "up for auction" means offering it for sale through a public bidding process, where interested buyers compete by offering increasingly higher prices until a final sale price is reached.

What can I say instead of "put up for auction"?

You can use alternatives like "offer for sale at auction", "sell at auction", or "auction off" depending on the context.

How to use "put up for auction" in a sentence?

Example sentences include: "The painting was put up for auction at Sotheby's" or "The company's assets were put up for auction to pay off debts."

Is it correct to say "put for auction" instead of "put up for auction"?

While "put for auction" might be understood, it is not the standard or grammatically preferred phrasing. "Put up for auction" is the idiomatic and widely accepted expression.