What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
bid
Example
He placed the highest bid and won the auction. [bid: noun]
Example
I will bid $100 for this painting. [bid: verb]
offer
Example
She received a job offer from a prestigious company. [offer: noun]
Example
They offered to help me with my homework. [offer: verb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Offer is more commonly used than bid in everyday language. Offer is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while bid is more specific to auctions and formal proposals.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between bid and offer?
While bid is typically associated with a more formal tone, offer can be used in both formal and informal contexts, making it a more flexible and widely applicable word.