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silent auction

American  

noun

  1. an auction at which previously submitted written bids of prospective buyers are opened and compared, with each item being sold to the highest bidder.


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.

Attendees will enjoy a drinks reception and dinner seated amid the museum's artefacts -- including in the Duveen Gallery which houses the disputed Parthenon Marbles -- with a silent auction running through the evening.

From Barron's • Oct. 18, 2025

Sane held a silent auction to raise funds for its work in honour of Windsor.

From BBC • Nov. 4, 2024

The goal is to raise $250,000 through sponsorships, donations, ticket sales and a silent auction.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2023

“We are not going away,” Cornelius told a large audience Tuesday night at Lulu’s Downstairs, a bar just west of Colorado Springs that held a silent auction where poets, speakers and musicians performed.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 2, 2022

I think there’s a silent auction and a raffle and I’m not sure what else.

From "Mockingbird" by Kathryn Erskine

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