won the bidding

USAGE SUMMARY

'won the bidding' is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it in the context of a situation in which there is a competition and someone or something comes out successful. For example, "The team won the bidding, so they will be the ones to carry out the project."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

What did surprise her, however, was who won the bidding.

The Washington Post

The Oakland Athletics won the bidding for the chance to sign pitcher Hisashi Iwakuma.

The New York Times - Sports

Until late Wednesday night, the Boston Bruins believed they had won the bidding war for Iginla.

The New York Times

Yet the Swiss giant had the deeper pockets and so won the bidding war.

The Economist

Mr. Silverstein won the bidding for the trade center in 2001.

The New York Times

The society won the bidding but did not want to say how much it had paid.

The New York Times

When he won the bidding, he and his wife were thrilled.

The New York Times

A couple won the bidding war with an offer of $250,500.

The New York Times

Fox has won the bidding war for a new TV drama series set in the Batman universe.

Independent

While H.P. won the bidding, Dell used its matching rights to force its rival  to pay top price.

The New York Times

The Knicks won the bidding war but had to part with four key players and three draft picks.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing competitive situations where multiple parties are vying for an opportunity, use "won the bidding" to clearly indicate the entity that was ultimately successful.

Common error

Avoid using "won the bidding" interchangeably with "bought". Winning the bidding only secures the right to purchase something. The purchase itself is a separate event.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "won the bidding" primarily functions as a verbal phrase indicating the successful completion of a competitive bidding process. Ludwig AI shows that it describes the act of achieving victory in a competition by submitting the most favorable offer.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Formal & Business

15%

Wiki

5%

Less common in

Science

2%

Reference

2%

Encyclopedias

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "won the bidding" is a commonly used verbal phrase that indicates success in a competitive bidding process. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and primarily used in neutral to professional contexts, most frequently found in news and business-related reporting. While alternatives like "secured the contract" or "was awarded the project" exist, "won the bidding" is a clear and direct way to communicate the outcome of a competitive situation. Remember to use it to describe the act of winning the right to something, not necessarily the purchase itself.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

secured the contract

Emphasizes the attainment of a formal agreement after a competitive process.

was awarded the project

Highlights the act of being officially granted a project or task.

prevailed in the auction

Focuses on success in an auction setting, suggesting a victory over other participants.

succeeded in the tender process

Specifically refers to winning a formal tender process.

emerged as the winning party

Indicates success in a competition or negotiation, resulting in a favorable outcome.

clinched the deal

Implies the finalization of an agreement or transaction after a period of negotiation.

closed the acquisition

Specifically refers to the completion of an acquisition, indicating the successful takeover of a company or asset.

sealed the agreement

Suggests a formal and binding agreement has been reached and finalized.

came out on top

General phrase indicating success in a competitive situation.

beat out the competition

Emphasizes the act of surpassing rivals in a contest or competitive scenario.

FAQs

How can I use "won the bidding" in a sentence?

Use "won the bidding" to indicate that someone or a company was successful in a competitive process where parties submit offers. For example, "Company X "won the bidding" for the new contract".

What's a good alternative to "won the bidding"?

Depending on the context, alternatives to "won the bidding" include "secured the contract", "was awarded the project", or "prevailed in the auction".

Is it correct to say "win the bidding" or should it always be "won the bidding"?

"Win the bidding" refers to the act of being successful in the future or hypothetically, while "won the bidding" refers to a completed action in the past. Example: "They hope to win the bidding" vs. "They "won the bidding" last week".

What is the difference between "won the bidding" and "submitted the highest bid"?

"Submitted the highest bid" simply means that the offer was the highest, while "won the bidding" implies that the offer was accepted and the process is complete. Sometimes, even if you "submitted the highest bid", someone else may "won the bidding" due to other factors.