purchase

1 of 2

verb

pur·​chase ˈpər-chəs How to pronounce purchase (audio)
purchased; purchasing

transitive verb

1
a
: to obtain by paying money or its equivalent : buy
b
: to acquire (real estate) by means other than descent
c
: to obtain by labor, danger, or sacrifice
d
archaic : gain, acquire
2
: to constitute the means for buying
Our dollars purchase less each year.

intransitive verb

: to purchase something
purchasable adjective
purchaser noun

purchase

2 of 2

noun

1
: an act or instance of purchasing
2
: something obtained especially for a price in money or its equivalent
3
a(1)
: an advantage (such as a firm hold or position) used in applying one's power
clutching the steering wheel for more purchaseBarry Crump
(2)
: a means of exerting power
b(1)
: a mechanical hold or advantage applied to the raising or moving of heavy bodies
(2)
: an apparatus or device by which advantage is gained

Examples of purchase in a Sentence

Verb He purchased a new suit for a hundred dollars. I need to purchase a new heavy coat. Noun The CD player is guaranteed for one year from the date of purchase. The car was an expensive purchase. He displayed his recent purchases with pride. The ice made it impossible for the car's wheels to gain a purchase on the road. The surface was so slick that the wheels couldn't gain purchase.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
The lack of options has prompted thousands of Californians to purchase insurance from the FAIR Plan as a last resort. Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2024 Tickets can be purchased in-person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Jim Sergent, USA TODAY, 23 Mar. 2024 They were purchased by Ed Letko, a medical supplies tycoon from Miami. Jason Kersten, Rolling Stone, 23 Mar. 2024 They were purchased in California, Florida, Indiana, Texas, and Washington. Evan Frank, The Indianapolis Star, 23 Mar. 2024 In Indiana, tickets must be purchased by 9:58 PM ET. Victoria Moorwood, The Enquirer, 23 Mar. 2024 Customers can purchase stamps online at usps.com/shopstamps, by calling 844-737-7826 or at post office locations. Nushrat Rahman, Detroit Free Press, 22 Mar. 2024 Glamour may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 22 Mar. 2024 Additional houses that have recently been purchased close by include: A 1,255-square-foot home on the 700 block of East Charleston Road in Palo Alto sold in March 2023, for $2,470,500, a price per square foot of $1,969. Bay Area Home Report, The Mercury News, 22 Mar. 2024
Noun
Most folks are yet to be sold on alternative models to in-app purchases and advertising, like Apple Arcade and Google Play Pass. Simon Hill, WIRED, 24 Mar. 2024 Children under 10 get in free with the purchase of an adult ticket. John Tufts, The Indianapolis Star, 22 Mar. 2024 The gross proceeds raised from the sale of the units will be used to primarily support inventory purchases and business expansion, as well as general working capital purposes. Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Mar. 2024 While payroll also caught some of the alcohol purchases Zerpa tried to expense during the LULAC trip, records show one flew under the radar: a bottle of Ron Barcelo Anejo Rum. Journal Sentinel, 22 Mar. 2024 On that note, there are no returns or exchanges on sale items, and there’s a purchase limit of five like items per order, per Béis. Danielle Directo-Meston, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Mar. 2024 Meanwhile, $100 bills are increasingly awkward to use—many economists favor eliminating them entirely—and in 2021, consumers used credit cards for 57% of purchases, according to the Federal Reserve. María Soledad Davila Calero, Fortune, 13 Mar. 2024 The Hoffmann family has a presence in 27 different countries, including Europe, China, Latin America and South America, Hoffmann told the Free Press at the time of the purchase. Detroit Free Press, 12 Mar. 2024 These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase. Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 11 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'purchase.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English purchacen, from Anglo-French purchacer to strive for, obtain, from por-, pur- thoroughly, to a conclusion (from Latin pro- forward, for) + chacer to pursue, chase — more at pro-

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1d

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of purchase was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near purchase

Cite this Entry

“Purchase.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/purchase. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

purchase

1 of 2 verb
pur·​chase ˈpər-chəs How to pronounce purchase (audio)
purchased; purchasing
: to get by paying money for : buy
purchase a house
purchasable adjective
purchaser noun

purchase

2 of 2 noun
1
: an act or instance of purchasing
2
: something purchased
3
: a secure hold, grasp, or place to stand
could not get a purchase on the ledge

Legal Definition

purchase

1 of 2 verb
pur·​chase
purchased; purchasing

transitive verb

1
: to acquire (real property) by means other than descent or inheritance
2
: to obtain by paying money or giving other valuable consideration
specifically : to take (property) by a voluntary transaction (as a sale, mortgage, pledge, lien, or gift) that creates an interest and that is governed by the Uniform Commercial Code see also bona fide purchaser

intransitive verb

: to purchase something
purchasable adjective
purchaser noun

purchase

2 of 2 noun
: an act or instance of purchasing: as
a
: the acquiring of real property by any means other than descent or inheritance
b
: the acquiring of an interest in property especially in exchange for valuable consideration see also word of purchase

More from Merriam-Webster on purchase

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