Definition

Noun: 1. The act of acquiring something in exchange for money; the action of purchasing. It refers to the process or instance of obtaining goods or services by paying for them.

Examples

• The buying of a new car is a major financial decision.
• Her job involves the buying and selling of antique furniture.
• Smart buying can save you a lot of money.

Advanced Usage

• Impulse buying: The act of purchasing something spontaneously without prior planning, often driven by a sudden desire.
  • Supermarkets place candy near the checkout to encourage impulse buying.
• Buying power / Purchasing power: The financial capacity of an individual or group to buy goods and services, often influenced by income and prices.
  • Inflation has reduced the buying power of the average salary.

Variants and Related Words

• Buy (verb): To acquire something by paying money for it.
  • I need to buy some groceries.
• Buyer (noun): A person who makes a purchase.
  • The house attracted several potential buyers.
• Buyout (noun): The purchase of a controlling share in a company.
  • The company's management led a buyout.

Synonyms

• Purchasing: The act of buying something (often used in more formal or business contexts).
• Acquisition: The act of gaining possession, which can include but is not limited to buying.
• Procurement: The process of obtaining goods or services, especially for an organization.

Related Phrases

• Buying into something: To accept or believe in an idea or concept.
  • He never really bought into the company's new philosophy.
• Buying time: Delaying something to gain more time.
  • She asked a question just to buy time while she thought of an answer.

Related Idioms

• Buy a pig in a poke: To buy something without inspecting it first, thus taking a risk.
  • Purchasing the car online without seeing it felt like buying a pig in a poke.

Noun

1. the act of buying
   • buying and selling fill their days
   • shrewd purchasing requires considerable knowledge