be had
Idioms-
Be outwitted; also, be cheated, deceived. For example, This lawyer is a real shyster; you've been had , or I've become very cautious about these schemes; it's too costly to be had more than once . This expression employs the verb to have in the sense of getting someone in one's power or at a disadvantage. [ Slang ; early 1800s]
-
Be bribed or influenced by dishonest means. For example, Our senator's incorruptible; he cannot be had . [ Slang ; early 1800s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
For Curry, who died Tuesday at 80 in Los Angeles, there were too many characters to play, and too much fun to be had, for him to spend much time looking back.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026
Ask anyone who has traveled to Japan recently and they will rave about the bargains to be had.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
Microcap stocks as a group have been outperforming large-cap stocks by a wide margin so far this year, but there are still plenty of bargains to be had.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 30, 2026
Reading “The Wilder Way” might not overhaul your life, but it will surely help you see how easily a fuller one can be had.
From Salon ● Jul. 17, 2026
If there just wasn’t substantial tournament money to be had, why couldn’t the American Chess Foundation sponsor him?
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
