English dictionary

offer Meaning & Definition

Q: What is the past tense of offer?

The past tense of offer is offered. The present participle is offering.

/ˈɒfə/

What Does Offer Mean?

Offer is used as a noun meaning A proposal that has been made. It is also used to mean Something put forth, bid, proffered or tendered. As a verb, it means To propose or express one's willingness (to do something).

Offer: Key Facts

Part of speech	noun, verb
Pronunciation	/ˈɒfə/
Synonyms	tender, crack and pass
Plural	offers
Verb forms	offers, offering, offered

Offer Definition (Noun)

A proposal that has been made.
What's in his offer?
Something put forth, bid, proffered or tendered.
His offer was $3.50 per share.
An invitation to enter into a binding contract communicated to another party which contains terms sufficiently definite to create an enforceable contract if the other party accepts the invitation.
His first letter was not a real offer, but an attempt to determine interest.

Offer as a Verb

To propose or express one's willingness (to do something).
She offered to help with her homework.
To present in words; to proffer; to make a proposal of; to suggest.
Everybody offered an opinion.
To place at someone’s disposal; to present (something) to be either accepted or turned down.
He offered use of his car for the week.
To present (something) for sale.
To present (something) to God or gods, as a gesture of worship or as a sacrifice.
To present (something) to the sight etc.; to provide for use, consideration etc.
The city offers beautiful architecture.
To place (something) in a position where it can be added to an existing mechanical assembly.
To bid, as a price, reward, or wages.
I offered twenty dollars for it. The company is offering a salary of £30,000 a year.
To happen, to present itself.
To make an attempt; typically used with at.
To put in opposition to; to manifest in an offensive or defensive way; to threaten.
to offer violence to somebody

Noun

agent noun of off

Synonyms of Offer

tender crack pass fling provide extend whirl bid propose offeringpop the questionvolunteer put up offer up go propose marriage proffer

Offer synonyms and antonyms →

Offer in a Sentence

What's in his offer?

I decline your offer to contract.

His offer was $3.50 per share.

His first letter was not a real offer, but an attempt to determine interest.

She offered to help with her homework.

Everybody offered an opinion.

He offered use of his car for the week.

He offered his good will for the Councilman's vote.

The city offers beautiful architecture.

I offered twenty dollars for it. The company is offering a salary of £30,000 a year.

to offer violence to somebody

The peasants offered no resistance as they were rounded up.

Word Forms & Grammar

offer (plural offers)

offer (third-person singular simple present offers, present participle offering, simple past and past participle offered)

Words That Rhyme With Offer

scoffer counteroffer cougher doffer sopher copher reoffer cofferdoff herghafargrundhoferhauferhofferkauferklinghofferlauferlauffermuldorferoff eroff herprofferraw fursofferstaufferstofferstopherya ferzwiefelhofer

Origin of Offer

Origin 1: From Middle English offer, from Old English offrian (“offer or make a sacrifice”) rather than from Old French offre (“offer”), from offrir (“to offer”), from Latin offerō (“to present, bring before”). Compare North Frisian offer (“sacrifice, donation, fee”), Dutch offer (“offering, sacrifice”), German Opfer (“victim, sacrifice”), Danish offer (“victim, sacrifice”), Icelandic offr (“offering”). See verb below.

Origin 2: From Middle English offren, offrien. In the religious senses inherited from Old English offrian (“to offer, sacrifice, bring an oblation”); otherwise from Old French ofrir. Both ultimately from Latin offerō (“to present, bestow, bring before”, literally “to bring to”), from Latin ob + ferō (“bring, carry”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰer- (“to carry, bear”), later reinforced by Old French offrir (“to offer”). Cognate with Old Frisian offria (“to offer”), Old Dutch offrōn (“to offer”), German opfern (“to offer”), Old Norse offra (“to offer”). More at ob-, bear.

Origin 3: From off + -er.

Offer: Your Questions Answered

Is offer a noun or a verb?

Offer is mainly used as a noun, but it can also be used as a verb.

What is another word for offer?

Words with a similar meaning to offer include tender, crack and pass. See the full list of offer synonyms and antonyms.