Meaning & use

market value

noun·Academic

Last updated

UK/ˌmɑːkɪt ˈvæljuː/
US/ˌmɑːrkɪt ˈvæljuː/

Meanings

  1. nouncountable or uncountablebusinessfinance

    The price that a property, asset, or good would likely sell for in an open market at a particular time.

    Grammar: Can be countable (a market value) or uncountable (market value). Often used with 'the'.

    Patterns

    • market value of something
    • at market value
    • below market value
    • above market value

    The market value of the house has risen sharply this year.

    She sold her shares at market value.

    The company's market value fell after the scandal.

  2. noununcountablebusinessfinance

    The amount that something is worth according to current buyers and sellers, rather than its original cost or official assessment.

    Grammar: Uncountable in this sense; often contrasted with 'book value' or 'assessed value'.

    Patterns

    • market value vs. book value
    • market value of a currency

    The market value of the antique vase is much higher than what she paid for it.

    For tax purposes, the assessed value may differ from the market value.

Word forms

pluralmarket values

Common combinations

fair market value
The IRS uses fair market value to determine taxable gifts.
market value of a home
The market value of a home depends on location and condition.
sell at market value
They decided to sell the land at market value.
market value assessment
The bank ordered a market value assessment before approving the loan.

Synonyms and how they differ

fair value
In accounting, fair value is the price received to sell an asset in an orderly transaction; it is similar but more technical than market value.
market price
Often used interchangeably, but 'market price' can refer to the current price of a commodity, while 'market value' emphasizes worth.

Opposites

book valueassessed value

Word family

market valuation noun
The process or result of estimating market value.

Commonly confused: market value or market price?

market value vs market price

Market price is the actual price at which a good is currently traded; market value is an estimate of what it would sell for under normal conditions.

Practice

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