Synonyms

garage sale

American

noun

a sale of used or unwanted household goods, personal items, bric-a-brac, etc., typically held in one's garage or yard.

garage sale British

noun

a sale of personal belongings or household effects held at a person's home, usually in the garage

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

garage sales

plural

Etymology

Origin of garage sale

An Americanism dating back to 1960–65

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.

I’m hosting a garage sale, and I told my friends that I’d be happy to include their clothing or books if they want to get rid of anything.

From MarketWatch • May 28, 2026

“They’re painting the whole sector with the same brush, and I think that’s been the opportunity to buy some of the winners at garage sale prices,” Ives says.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

Chin began skating at age 8 after her mother, Marjorie, bought her a pair of skates at a garage sale.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 1, 2026

Having a garage sale isn’t going to stave off economic doom.

From Salon • Apr. 16, 2025

“It’s to prohibit you from making a profit. You cannot have a giant garage sale when it’s over.”

From "Millionaires for the Month" by Stacey McAnulty

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023