garage sale

American

noun

a sale of used or unwanted household goods, personal items, bric-a-brac, etc., typically held in one's garage or yard.

garage sale British

noun

a sale of personal belongings or household effects held at a person's home, usually in the garage

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of garage sale

An Americanism dating back to 1960–65

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

My partner got them for me for $5 from a neighbor’s garage sale.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 18, 2025

Having a garage sale isn’t going to stave off economic doom.

From Salon • Apr. 16, 2025

From the sidewalk it looked like any garage sale notice.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 14, 2024

While emptying closets and the garage during a spring cleaning or when prepping for a summer garage sale, you’ve probably encountered items that you’re unsure about.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 18, 2023

Uhmma loves her pennies, collects them like flowers in an old glass vase she found at a garage sale.

From "A Step from Heaven" by An Na

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023