Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

overbid

American  
[oh-ver-bid, oh-ver-bid] / ˌoʊ vərˈbɪd, ˈoʊ vərˌbɪd /

verb (used with object)

overbid, overbidding
  1. to bid more than the value of (a thing).

    to overbid one's cards.

  2. to outbid.

    She overbid him for the painting.


verb (used without object)

overbid, overbidding
  1. to bid more than the actual value or worth.

    a tendency to overbid at auctions; to overbid at bridge.

noun

  1. a higher bid.

overbid British  

verb

  1. (intr) bridge to bid for more tricks than one can expect to win

  2. to bid more than the value of (something)

"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

noun

  1. a bid higher than someone else's bid

"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 overbid

First recorded in 1610–20; over- + bid 1


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.

See Examples For:

Meanwhile, some investors say the firm has often overbid for stakes in hot companies, driving up valuations more broadly.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2016

Oil companies overestimated how much these tracts would produce, overbid to secure them, and thus saw poor returns.

From Time ● Jul. 30, 2013

Two franchisees on the East Coast mainline went bust having overbid, and several other franchisees are under what are touchingly called "special measures", having got into trouble through over-bidding.

From The Guardian ● Oct. 5, 2012

You can’t boast to Eagles, Giants or Cowboys fans about what stud player you acquired and how much you overbid for him because for the first time in forever Daniel Snyder didn’t open the vault.

From Washington Post ● Aug. 4, 2011

“Don’t you think you overbid your hand just a little wee bit?”

From Miss Mapp by E. F. (Edward Frederic) Benson

“The way the market is, people are just overbidding to just try to get in things.”

From New York Times ● Aug. 30, 2021

Not only would he have fewer points than larger food banks, he also might end up wasting them by overbidding.

From Slate ● Jun. 7, 2016

The contestant whose guess is closest to the actual price, without overbidding, wins the prize and progresses to the more lucrative pricing games where tens of thousands of dollars can be won.

From Slate ● Nov. 13, 2013

Despite the hype surrounding Sundance — publicists sent this reporter 419 unsolicited story pitches tied to the festival — seasoned buyers practiced what Mr. Redford preached and were cautious about overbidding.

From New York Times ● Jan. 27, 2012

FLAG-FLYING The practice generally called "flag-flying" consists in overbidding an adverse declaration, which will surely result in game and rubber, with a holding which is not of sufficient strength to carry out the contract.

From Auction of To-day by Milton C. Work

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Join 14,000,000 vocabulary learners

Start learning new words today on VocabTrainer.
You'll remember them forever.

Start training