Purchase vs. Buy — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on September 21, 2023
Purchase and Buy both refer to acquiring something in exchange for money. While "buy" is more casual and commonly used, "purchase" often appears in formal or legal contexts and may also imply a planned or researched transaction.
Difference Between Purchase and Buy
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Purchase and Buy are two terms that essentially mean the same thing: acquiring something in exchange for money. However, the word "buy" is generally more casual and is commonly used in everyday speech. You're more likely to hear someone say they're going to "buy groceries" rather than "purchase groceries."
On the other hand, Purchase is often used in formal and business contexts. For example, legal contracts might use the word "purchase" instead of "buy" to denote the transfer of ownership of a property. Purchase can also imply a transaction that involved planning or research, whereas "buy" might be used for more spontaneous transactions.
In terms of grammar, both Purchase and Buy can be used as verbs and nouns, but the term "purchase" has an additional usage as a technical term in mechanics and sailing, where it refers to mechanical advantage gained by using a simple machine. "Buy," however, is limited to contexts involving trade or transactions.
Both Purchase and Buy can be modified by adjectives to convey the quality or nature of the transaction. You can "make a quick purchase" or "buy something cheaply." However, "purchase" may often be used with more formal adjectives, like "significant purchase" or "capital purchase," whereas "buy" pairs well with colloquial terms like "quick buy" or "cheap buy."
Comparison Chart
Common Usage
Formal or legal contexts
Casual or everyday speech
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Implied Planning
May imply planning/research
Often implies spontaneity
Grammatical Forms
Can be verb or noun
Can be verb or noun
Technical Uses
In mechanics and sailing
None
Common Modifiers
"Significant," "Capital"
"Quick," "Cheap"
Compare with Definitions
Purchase
To acquire something in exchange for money.
I decided to purchase a new car.
Buy
Implies acquisition but not necessarily planning.
I decided to buy it on a whim.
Purchase
Often used in formal or business contexts.
The company made a significant purchase last quarter.
Buy
Used as both a verb and a noun.
That was a good buy.
Purchase
Used as both a verb and a noun.
The purchase was completed yesterday.
Buy
To acquire something in exchange for money.
I need to buy groceries.
Purchase
Acquire (something) by paying for it; buy
Mr Gill spotted the manuscript at a local auction and purchased it for £1,500
Buy
Commonly used in casual speech.
I'll buy a coffee on the way.
Purchase
Haul up (a rope, cable, or anchor) by means of a pulley or lever.
Buy
Often paired with informal adjectives.
That's a quick buy.
Purchase
The action of buying something
She made her purchases carefully
The large number of videos currently available for purchase
Buy
Obtain in exchange for payment
Homeowners who buy into housing developments
He had been able to buy up hundreds of acres
He bought me a new frock
She bought six first-class stamps
Purchase
Firm contact or grip
The horse's hooves fought for purchase on the slippery pavement
An attempt to gain a purchase on the soft earth
Buy
Accept the truth of
I hate to buy into stereotypes
I am not prepared to buy the claim that the ends justify the means
Purchase
To obtain in exchange for money or its equivalent; buy.
Buy
A purchase
Wine is rarely a good buy in duty-free shops
Purchase
To acquire by effort; earn
Purchased the victory with the loss of many lives.
Buy
To acquire in exchange for money or its equivalent; purchase. See Note at boughten.
Purchase
To pull or haul by means of a mechanical device, such as a winch.
Buy
To be capable of purchasing
"Certainly there are lots of things in life that money won't buy" (Ogden Nash).
Purchase
The act or an instance of buying
The sudden purchase of a car.
Buy
To acquire by sacrifice, exchange, or trade
Wanted to buy love with gifts.
Purchase
Something bought
That hat was a wise purchase.
Buy
To bribe
Tried to buy a judge.
Purchase
A hold or position that allows the application of power, as in moving something
Got a purchase for her foot and climbed up.
Buy
(Informal) To accept the truth or feasibility of
The officer didn't buy my lame excuse for speeding.
Purchase
A device, such as a pulley, used to obtain mechanical advantage.
Buy
To purchase something; act as a purchaser.
Purchase
A means or advantage that allows the increase of power or influence.
Buy
Something bought or for sale; a purchase.
Purchase
The acquisition of title to, or property in, anything for a price; buying for money or its equivalent.
They offer a free hamburger with the purchase of a drink.
Buy
An act of purchasing
A drug buy.
Purchase
That which is obtained, got or acquired, in any manner, honestly or dishonestly; property; possession; acquisition.
Buy
Something that is underpriced; a bargain.
Purchase
That which is obtained for a price in money or its equivalent.
He was pleased with his latest purchase.
Buy
To obtain (something) in exchange for money or goods.
I'm going to buy my father something nice for his birthday.
Purchase
(obsolete) The act or process of seeking and obtaining something (e.g. property, etc.)
Buy
To obtain, especially by some sacrifice.
I've bought material comfort by foregoing my dreams.
You just bought yourself an assault charge!
Purchase
A price paid for a house or estate, etc. equal to the amount of the rent or income during the stated number of years.
Buy
To suffer consequences for (something) through being deprived of something; to pay for (something one has done).
Purchase
Any mechanical hold or advantage, applied to the raising or removing of heavy bodies, as by a lever, a tackle or capstan.
It is hard to get purchase on a nail without a pry bar or hammer.
Buy
(transitive) To bribe.
He tried to buy me with gifts, but I wouldn't give up my beliefs.
Purchase
The apparatus, tackle or device by which such mechanical advantage is gained and in nautical terminology the ratio of such a device, like a pulley, or block and tackle.
Buy
(transitive) To be equivalent to in value.
The dollar doesn't buy as much as it used to.
Purchase
The amount of hold one has from an individual foothold or ledge.
Buy
To accept as true; to believe
I'm not going to buy your stupid excuses anymore!
Purchase
Acquisition of lands or tenements by means other than descent or inheritance, namely, by one's own act or agreement.
Buy
(intransitive) To make a purchase or purchases, to treat (for a drink, meal or gift)
She buys for Federated.
Let's go out for dinner. I'm buying.
Purchase
To buy, obtain by payment of a price in money or its equivalent.
To purchase land, to purchase a house
Buy
To make a bluff, usually a large one.
Smith tried to buy the pot on the river with a huge bluff
Purchase
To pursue and obtain; to acquire by seeking; to gain, obtain, or acquire.
Buy
Something which is bought; a purchase.
At only $30, the second-hand kitchen table was a great buy.
Purchase
To obtain by any outlay, as of labor, danger, or sacrifice, etc.
To purchase favor with flattery
Buy
To acquire the ownership of (property) by giving an accepted price or consideration therefor, or by agreeing to do so; to acquire by the payment of a price or value; to purchase; - opposed to sell.
Buy what thou hast no need of, and ere long thou wilt sell thy necessaries.
Purchase
To expiate by a fine or forfeit.
Buy
To acquire or procure by something given or done in exchange, literally or figuratively; to get, at a cost or sacrifice; to buy pleasure with pain.
Buy the truth and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
Purchase
To apply to (anything) a device for obtaining a mechanical advantage; to get a purchase upon, or apply a purchase to; to raise or move by mechanical means.
To purchase a cannon
Buy
To negotiate or treat about a purchase.
I will buy with you, sell with you.
Purchase
To put forth effort to obtain anything; to strive; to exert oneself.
Buy
An advantageous purchase;
She got a bargain at the auction
The stock was a real buy at that price
Purchase
To constitute the buying power for a purchase, have a trading value.
Many aristocratic refugees' portable treasures purchased their safe passage and comfortable exile during the revolution.
Buy
Obtain by purchase; acquire by means of a financial transaction;
The family purchased a new car
The conglomerate acquired a new company
She buys for the big department store
Purchase
To pursue and obtain; to acquire by seeking; to gain, obtain, or acquire.
That loves the thing he can not purchase.
Your accent is Something finer than you could purchase in so removed a dwelling.
His faults . . . hereditaryRather than purchased.
Buy
Make illegal payments to in exchange for favors or influence;
This judge can be bought
Purchase
To obtain by paying money or its equivalent; to buy for a price; as, to purchase land, or a house.
The field which Abraham purchased of the sons of Heth.
Buy
Acquire by trade or sacrifice or exchange;
She wanted to buy his love with her dedication to him and his work
Purchase
To obtain by any outlay, as of labor, danger, or sacrifice, etc.; as, to purchase favor with flattery.
One poor retiring minute . . . Would purchase thee a thousand thousand friends.
A world who would not purchase with a bruise?
Buy
Accept as true;
I can't buy this story
Purchase
To expiate by a fine or forfeit.
Not tears nor prayers shall purchase out abuses.
Buy
Be worth or be capable of buying;
This sum will buy you a ride on the train
Purchase
To acquire by any means except descent or inheritance.
Purchase
To apply to (anything) a device for obtaining a mechanical advantage; to get a purchase upon, or apply a purchase to; as, to purchase a cannon.
Purchase
To put forth effort to obtain anything; to strive; to exert one's self.
Duke John of Brabant purchased greatly that the Earl of Flanders should have his daughter in marriage.
Purchase
To acquire wealth or property.
Sure our lawyersWould not purchase half so fast.
Purchase
The act of seeking, getting, or obtaining anything.
I'll . . . get meat to have thee,Or lose my life in the purchase.
Purchase
The act of seeking and acquiring property.
Purchase
The acquisition of title to, or properly in, anything for a price; buying for money or its equivalent.
It is foolish to lay out money in the purchase of repentance.
Purchase
That which is obtained, got, or acquired, in any manner, honestly or dishonestly; property; possession; acquisition.
We met with little purchase upon this coast, except two small vessels of Golconda.
A beauty-waning and distressed widow . . . Made prize and purchase of his lustful eye.
Purchase
That which is obtained for a price in money or its equivalent.
Purchase
Any mechanical hold, or advantage, applied to the raising or removing of heavy bodies, as by a lever, a tackle, capstan, and the like; also, the apparatus, tackle, or device by which the advantage is gained.
A politician, to do great things, looks for a power - what our workmen call a purchase.
Purchase
Acquisition of lands or tenements by other means than descent or inheritance, namely, by one's own act or agreement.
Purchase
The acquisition of something for payment;
They closed the purchase with a handshake
Purchase
Something acquired by purchase
Purchase
A means of exerting influence or gaining advantage;
He could get no purchase on the situation
Purchase
The mechanical advantage gained by being in a position to use a lever
Purchase
Obtain by purchase; acquire by means of a financial transaction;
The family purchased a new car
The conglomerate acquired a new company
She buys for the big department store
Purchase
Can imply planning or research.
After much consideration, she made the purchase.
Purchase
Sometimes a technical term in mechanics and sailing.
The pulley system provided better purchase for lifting.
Common Curiosities
Are Purchase and Buy interchangeable?
Largely yes, but "purchase" is more formal and may imply planning, while "buy" is more casual.
Does Purchase have any technical meanings?
Yes, in mechanics and sailing, it refers to mechanical advantage.
What does Purchase mean?
Purchase means to acquire something in exchange for money, often in a formal or planned context.
Can both words be used as nouns?
Yes, both can be used as verbs and nouns.
Can Purchase imply a significant transaction?
Yes, it can imply a more significant or planned transaction.
Is Buy used in formal contracts?
Rarely. "Purchase" is usually the term used in legal and formal documents.
Is Buy always informal?
Not always, but it is more commonly used in casual speech.
Can Buy be used in business settings?
It can, but "purchase" is generally preferred for formality.
What does Buy mean?
Buy means to acquire something in exchange for money, usually in a more casual or spontaneous context.
What types of adjectives commonly modify Purchase?
Formal adjectives like "significant" or "capital."
Can I use Purchase in everyday conversation?
Yes, but it might sound more formal than using "buy."
Is Buy used internationally?
Yes, it's commonly understood in many languages due to the influence of English.
Do both words have the same etymological origin?
No, "purchase" comes from Latin via Old French, while "buy" comes from Old English.
Can Purchase refer to buying services as well?
Yes, you can purchase both goods and services.
What types of adjectives commonly modify Buy?
Informal adjectives like "quick" or "cheap."
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Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
