sell·out
ˈsel-ˌau̇t 
sold out; selling out; sells out
1
: to sell the goods of (a debtor) in order to satisfy creditors
2
: to sell security or commodity holdings of usually to satisfy an uncovered margin
3
a
: to sell all the available tickets for
sold out the concert
b
: to sell all of
the merchandise was quickly sold out
1
: to dispose of one's goods by sale
especially
: to sell one's business
2
: to betray one's cause or associates especially for personal gain
3
: to be or achieve a sellout
Synonyms
Examples of sellout in a Sentence
Noun
The concert was a sellout.
The union sees the deal as a sellout.
Angry fans called him a sellout when he started appearing in television commercials.
Verb
the band sold out its faithful followers, abandoning its edgy style for a more commercial sound
Recent Examples on the Web
Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 24 Mar. 2024
In the past, special collections from Lilly Pulitzer, Vineyard Vines, and Target's own 20th Anniversary Collection, released in September 2019, also led to sellouts.
—Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 23 Mar. 2024
Some seemed to bask in living as rich sellouts, and some insisted on presenting a political critique, but all reveled in being condemned by bewildered Egyptian parents.
—Lisa Anderson, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024
Saturday’s game was a sellout with 9,342 in attendance.
—Kirk Kern, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2024
The Hall of Fame coach celebrated his 69th birthday in style Tuesday night, surrounded by a raucous sellout crowd at Breslin Center, urging Michigan State basketball to ensure Izzo a cherished gift.
—Chris Solari, Detroit Free Press, 31 Jan. 2024
Along with the announced sellouts, Tuesday’s game marked the 11th time in 30 home games that the Sharks have announced a crowd of less than 11,000.
—Curtis Pashelka, The Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2024
The 39th consecutive sellout Mancini’s St. Paul Sports Hall of Fame banquet will be May 13 at the Char House.
—Charley Walters, Twin Cities, 27 Jan. 2024
Jagr himself joined in, flipping pucks into an empty net before doing one final lap as the sellout crowd — many of them wearing a jersey from one of Jagr's various stops — gave him one last ovation 23 years in the making.
—Will Graves, USA TODAY, 19 Feb. 2024
Duante Beddingfield, Detroit Free Press, 13 Apr. 2024
Saint Laurent Cropped Leather Jacket in lambskin; $7,000 (nearly sold out), at farfetch.com
This story first appeared in the April 10 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine.
—Chris Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Apr. 2024
The preeminent three-day festival usually sells out instantly.
—Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 12 Apr. 2024
Tickets for the new tours sold out within a day of being released, reports BBC News.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Apr. 2024
The tour ends at Paris’ Accor Arena in December, with a second night added since the first sold out.
—Katie Bain, Billboard, 11 Apr. 2024
The production is running at the Duke of Yorks' Theatre in London from May 11 through August 3; according to its website, the run is currently sold out.
—Tommy McArdle, Peoplemag, 10 Apr. 2024
What began as an exhibition for and by creatives birthed from hip-hop culture, turned into a yearly event that has sold out venues across the country.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 9 Apr. 2024
And many hotel rooms and vacation rentals on the path are either sold out or listed at sky-high prices.
—Kayla Jimenez, USA TODAY, 30 Mar. 2024
Noun
The sellout crowd at Spectrum Center was murmuring and nervous.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 24 Mar. 2024
In the past, special collections from Lilly Pulitzer, Vineyard Vines, and Target's own 20th Anniversary Collection, released in September 2019, also led to sellouts.
—Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 23 Mar. 2024
Some seemed to bask in living as rich sellouts, and some insisted on presenting a political critique, but all reveled in being condemned by bewildered Egyptian parents.
—Lisa Anderson, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024
Saturday’s game was a sellout with 9,342 in attendance.
—Kirk Kern, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2024
The Hall of Fame coach celebrated his 69th birthday in style Tuesday night, surrounded by a raucous sellout crowd at Breslin Center, urging Michigan State basketball to ensure Izzo a cherished gift.
—Chris Solari, Detroit Free Press, 31 Jan. 2024
Along with the announced sellouts, Tuesday’s game marked the 11th time in 30 home games that the Sharks have announced a crowd of less than 11,000.
—Curtis Pashelka, The Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2024
The 39th consecutive sellout Mancini’s St. Paul Sports Hall of Fame banquet will be May 13 at the Char House.
—Charley Walters, Twin Cities, 27 Jan. 2024
Jagr himself joined in, flipping pucks into an empty net before doing one final lap as the sellout crowd — many of them wearing a jersey from one of Jagr's various stops — gave him one last ovation 23 years in the making.
—Will Graves, USA TODAY, 19 Feb. 2024
Verb
Sunday’s showing is currently sold out, but seats remain for the Saturday screening.
—Duante Beddingfield, Detroit Free Press, 13 Apr. 2024
Saint Laurent Cropped Leather Jacket in lambskin; $7,000 (nearly sold out), at farfetch.com
This story first appeared in the April 10 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine.
—Chris Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Apr. 2024
The preeminent three-day festival usually sells out instantly.
—Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 12 Apr. 2024
Tickets for the new tours sold out within a day of being released, reports BBC News.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Apr. 2024
The tour ends at Paris’ Accor Arena in December, with a second night added since the first sold out.
—Katie Bain, Billboard, 11 Apr. 2024
The production is running at the Duke of Yorks' Theatre in London from May 11 through August 3; according to its website, the run is currently sold out.
—Tommy McArdle, Peoplemag, 10 Apr. 2024
What began as an exhibition for and by creatives birthed from hip-hop culture, turned into a yearly event that has sold out venues across the country.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 9 Apr. 2024
And many hotel rooms and vacation rentals on the path are either sold out or listed at sky-high prices.
—Kayla Jimenez, USA TODAY, 30 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sellout.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near sellout
Cite this Entry
“Sellout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sellout. Accessed 17 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sellout
1 of 2 noun
sell·out
ˈsel-ˌau̇t
1
: the act or an instance of selling out
2
: a show, contest, or exhibition for which all seats are sold
sell out
2 of 2 verb(ˈ)sel-ˈau̇t
: to dispose of all of one's goods by sale
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