WordGarden.iogoods
B1Pronunciation
UK
- /ɡˈʊdz/
US
- /ˈɡʊdz/
Meanings
Noun
items or products that are bought, sold, or traded
personal possessions or household items
freight or cargo carried by road, rail, ship, or air
More meaningsFewer meanings
what is promised, expected, or wanted
(informal)evidence or information that proves someone did something wrong
Beyond the definition
"Goods" usually means physical things that people own, make, move, buy, or sell. Picture a busy market full of fruit, cloth, tools, and boxes ready to be carried away: these are goods. A shopkeeper puts goods in the window, a factory sends goods to stores, and a customer orders goods online. The word is common in business, trade, shipping, and law, where the focus is on items rather than services.
The word "goods" refers to physical things that have value, especially things that are owned, sold, shipped, or traded. It often means merchandise in a store or items moving through business and trade. A truck may deliver goods to a supermarket, a company may export goods to another country, and customs officers may check goods at a border. In everyday use, it usually points to objects you can touch, not to services like teaching or repair work.
The word can also mean personal property more generally, especially in legal or formal writing. In that sense, it may include furniture, clothes, tools, and other movable belongings. This is why older phrases such as "goods and chattels" appear in legal texts. In modern English, though, the most common use is still about products or merchandise.
In economics and commerce, goods are often divided into groups such as consumer goods, capital goods, durable goods, and non-durable goods. These labels help explain how the items are used and how long they last. The word appears in many practical contexts: damaged goods, household goods, imported goods, luxury goods, and stolen goods.
So when you hear about goods, think first of real, movable items with value: things on shelves, things in warehouses, and things being bought and sold. That is the heart of the word in modern English.
Examples
- 1
Local crafts
The store sells handmade goods from local artists.
- 2
Delivery check
Please check the goods when they arrive and report any damage.
- 3
Shipping
The factory sends its goods by truck to stores across the country.
- 4
Luxury market
Demand for luxury goods often drops when the economy is weak.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Moving house
We packed our household goods and moved to a smaller apartment.
- Phrasehousehold goods
things you own in your home
- 6
Business contracts
The contract covers both goods and services.
- Phrasegoods and services
products and work that a business sells
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
Contrast
Do not confuse
- good adjective
Used with (collocations)
- goods and services
- consumer goods
- durable goods
- imported goods
Word family
Explore
- trade
- supply chain
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- goodsnoun