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

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.

Brass angel candlesticks scored for $2 apiece at a Palo Alto garage sale flank a silver-plated punch bowl.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 28, 2026

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

From Salon • Apr. 16, 2025

There are so many Eagle Rock shirts, shorts, chairs and yearbooks that the family could hold a garage sale of Eagle Rock memorabilia.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 1, 2024

Mr. Nuanes had been at Mr. Logue’s home for a garage sale when the sinkhole was spotted.

From New York Times • Jun. 27, 2023

Because it might turn out that the fellow across the aisle was the guy you’d nearly blindsided at the freeway exit yesterday in order to beat him to a promising garage sale.

From "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini

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