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• trade-in
  trade-in

  noun

  goods given in whole or, usually, part payment of a purchase.
• trade in
  trade in

  Give or sell an old or used item and apply the value or proceeds to a new item. For example, Some people prefer to trade in their old car to the dealer, but we feel we'll do better by simply selling it. [First half of 1900s]

trade-in

American  

[treyd-in] / ˈtreɪdˌɪn /

noun

• trade-ins
  plural

1. goods given in whole or, usually, part payment of a purchase.

   We used our old car as a trade-in for the new one.

2. a business transaction involving a trade-in.

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adjective

1. of or relating to the valuation of goods used in a trade-in.

   trade-in price.

2. of or relating to such a business transaction.

   trade-in terms.

trade-in British  

noun

1. 1. a used article given in part payment for the purchase of a new article

   2. a transaction involving such part payment

   3. the valuation put on the article traded in

   4. ( as modifier )

      a trade-in dealer

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verb

1. (tr, adverb) to give (a used article) as part payment for the purchase of a new article

trade in Idioms  

1. Give or sell an old or used item and apply the value or proceeds to a new item. For example, Some people prefer to trade in their old car to the dealer, but we feel we'll do better by simply selling it. [First half of 1900s]

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• trade-ins
  plural

Etymology

Origin of trade-in

First recorded in 1920–25; noun, adj. use of verb phrase trade in

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

trade-in trade in trade-ins

“A higher trade-in value in the U.S. could drive stronger demand for the iPhone 17, but create more pressure on iPhone 18 sales given limited feature upgrades but assumed mid-teen % price hikes.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026

Hall recently visited a dealership after hearing about incentives for Edge owners being offered to spur a trade-in.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 1, 2026

She took advantage of the high trade-in price offered for her previous vehicle when used-car prices were soaring after the pandemic, and covered the rest with savings.

From MarketWatch ● May 15, 2026

These are sometimes listed on car companies’ websites as trade-in “cash offers” or “bonus cash,” he noted.

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 28, 2026

They even have a trade-in policy, so I go there a lot.

From "Free Lunch" by Rex Ogle

All you could do was bet on a binary outcome: whether the next trade in a given stock would be up or down.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026

Manipur borders Myanmar, and India's north-east has been flagged as a route for the illegal trade in exotic wildlife, although authorities have not concluded that the gibbons in this case were trafficked.

From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026

A few months ago, Pinchas Cohen learned of a thriving online trade in MOTS-c — a peptide that, when injected into mice, seems to mimic the effects of exercise.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

More shares will become eligible to trade in August and September, with additional releases set to continue through December in one of the largest post-IPO share unlocks in U.S. market history.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026

He had many apprentices or assistants who were learning the trade in hopes of one day becoming masters themselves.

From "Cathedral: The Story of Its Construction" by David Macaulay

This practice, however, is catching up with many drivers: Nearly 31% of vehicle trade-ins now carry negative equity, meaning the amount owed on the loan is more than the car is worth.

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 28, 2026

Appliance trade-ins can boost sales for a quarter.

From Barron's ● Apr. 27, 2026

During the upcoming nine-day holiday period, marking the longest on record, government agencies will be targeting consumption campaigns, including subsidies for consumer goods trade-ins.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 13, 2026

The government has even introduced programmes like consumer goods trade-ins, where people can exchange their washing machines, microwaves and rice cookers.

From BBC ● Jan. 16, 2025

Most important, he began accepting horses as trade-ins.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand

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