What does “buy” mean?
- 1
verbto get something by paying money for it
I bought a new laptop yesterday.
- 2
verbinformal: to believe something
He said he was sick, but I don’t buy it.
Buy at a glance
- Part of speech
- verb
- CEFR level
- A1 (beginner)
- Pronunciation
- /baɪ/ · BY
- Forms
- bought
How to use “buy” correctly
Don’t confuse “bought” (past of buy) with “brought” (past of bring).
Common phrases with “buy”
- buy sth for sb
- buy sb sth
- buy online
Synonyms, opposites and related words
Synonyms (similar meaning)
- purchase
Antonyms (opposite meaning)
Word family
- buyer
“buy” is on these word lists
Learn these words next
- cost verbA1to have a particular price
- pay verbA1to give money for something you buy or for work done
- run verbA1to move fast on your feet
- sell verbA1to give something to someone in exchange for money
- spend verbA1to use money to pay for things
- work verbA1to do a job, usually for money
- bank nounA1a business that keeps and lends money
- business nounA1the activity of buying, selling or making things for money