put up for bid

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "put up for bid" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used in contexts related to auctions or competitive bidding situations where an item or service is being offered for sale to the highest bidder. Example: "The antique vase was put up for bid at the charity auction last night."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

22 human-written examples

About 20 million unexplored acres in the western gulf will be put up for bid.

The New York Times

Like other nonprofit groups serving handicapped children, the league receives bus services through contracts put up for bid by the Transportation Department.

The New York Times

With all that wrangling behind them now and the annex complete, county officials say Phase 3 will be put up for bid at the end of this month.

The New York Times

Proud Mover was put up for bid in the loose horse auction, where a gabbling auctioneer pronounced her sold to a kill buyer, for $550.

The Guardian - Opinion

On Monday, in the hushed auction room of Christie's in Midtown Manhattan, a Stradivarius made in 1729 will be put up for bid at a minimum asking price of $1 million.

The New York Times

Ken Lombard, president of Magic Johnson Enterprises of Los Angeles, said the company is hoping to develop the historic Loews Kings Theater on Flatbush Avenue, which was recently put up for bid by the city.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

38 human-written examples

Mark McGwire's historic 70th home run ball will be put up for bidding early next month by Guernsey's, an auction house in New York.

The New York Times - Sports

The Hendrix lyrics were put up for bidding at a two-day sale of rock-and-roll memorabilia at Bonham's, an auction house in west London.

The New York Times

So as long as Losermobiles are being put up for bids, what about Lloyd Dobler's blue Chevelle from "Say Anything," perhaps with boom box included?

The New York Times

The lucky animal is put up for bidding and people purchase different cuts, including flat-iron (butler's) steaks for $10£7£7), shanks for $14 and short ribs for $30.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Scalia won a great deal more than he lost, and he and his allies succeeded in transforming American politics into a cash bazaar, with seats all but put up for bidding.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a formal process where multiple parties compete for a project or item, use "put up for bid" to clearly indicate the competitive nature of the offering.

Common error

Avoid using "put up for bid" in highly informal contexts. Opt for simpler alternatives like "offered" or "available" when describing casual transactions or offers.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "put up for bid" functions as a verb phrase indicating an action: to offer something (like a contract, property, or service) for auction or competitive bidding. This is supported by Ludwig AI's confirmation of its correctness and the provided examples.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Formal & Business

25%

Wiki

12%

Less common in

Science

8%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "put up for bid" is a commonly used idiomatic expression that describes the act of offering something for auction or competitive bidding. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it is grammatically correct and most frequently encountered in news and business contexts. While versatile, it's best suited for neutral to professional registers, emphasizing the structured and transparent nature of the bidding process. For alternative phrasings, consider "offer for auction" or "make available for tender" to tailor the expression to specific nuances of the situation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

offer for auction

Emphasizes the act of making something available for auction.

present for auction

Similar to 'offer for auction' but emphasizes the presentation aspect.

place on the market for bidding

Highlights the action of making something available for competitive bidding.

open to bidding

Stresses the accessibility for potential bidders.

list for bidding

Emphasizes the act of adding something to a list of items available for bidding.

make available for tender

Uses 'tender' as a synonym for 'bid', often used in formal contexts.

tender out

A concise and often business-oriented alternative.

invite bids for

Highlights the action of requesting offers.

solicit offers for

A more formal way of saying 'invite bids'.

submit for consideration

Focuses on the act of presenting something for evaluation, which can lead to bidding.

FAQs

What does "put up for bid" mean?

The phrase "put up for bid" means to offer something, like a contract, item or service, for auction or competitive bidding, where interested parties submit offers.

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

You can use alternatives like "offer for auction", "make available for tender", or "open to bidding" depending on the context.

Is "put up for bid" formal or informal?

The phrase "put up for bid" is generally considered neutral to formal, suitable for business, news, and legal contexts. Avoid it in casual conversations where simpler terms are more appropriate.

How do I use "put up for bid" in a sentence?

You can use "put up for bid" to describe the action of offering something for a competitive bidding process. For example: "The city council decided to put the construction contract up for bid."