bestseller

noun

best·​sell·​er ˈbes(t)-ˈse-lər How to pronounce bestseller (audio)
variants or best seller
plural bestsellers or best sellers
: a popular product and especially a book whose sales are among the highest of its class
[Isabel] Allende's new book is spun from the stuff of epic romances: eternal love, lost innocence, distant locales, revolution. In short, all the elements of a sure bestseller.Julie K. L. Dam
The Harvard Book Store Café … is not only the obvious choice for the latest best seller but the intelligent break for a shopper's graze.Alice Rubenstein Gochman
Two million copies have been sold, and it has been on the New York Times bestseller list for four years.Judith Daniels
… the two Fisher-Price bestsellers are the company's Fun with Food [toy] series and the Fisher-Price Fun with Food Kitchen.The New Yorker
She knows what the mass market wants—Vanderbilt and Chaps [fragrances] are best sellers—and she has a flair for what appeals to a more specialized market …Amy Singer
best-sellerdom noun
best-selling adjective

Examples of bestseller in a Sentence

She has written several best sellers.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The bestseller returns at No. 61, while at the same time jumping five spaces to No. 21 on the Official Rock and Metal Albums chart. Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 4 July 2025 These bestsellers capture the essence of waterproof jewelry that doesn’t ask you to compromise on elegance or function. Kaitlyn Gomez, USA Today, 4 July 2025 Sizes: 4–18 / Washes: 10 options / Material: 65% cotton, 33% polyester, 2% elastane One of our favorite pairs of barrel-leg jeans on the market, this bestseller from Free People has impressed several staffers. Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 3 July 2025 The movie led to Child's book return to the bestseller list 48 years after its release. Keith Pandolfi, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025 In addition to The Rise of Nicholas the Noble, Chanda co-authored the bestseller The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition, and has published multiple other children’s books. Clea Haran, Parents, 2 July 2025 Fourth Wing has spent 88 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, 18 of them at #1. Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 1 July 2025 Wreck is the follow up to Sandwich, a recent bestseller orienting around a middle-aged woman named Rocky, a funny, anxious, spirited, and relatable protagonist on vacation with her parents, her husband, and their young adult children. Literary Hub july 1, Literary Hub, 1 July 2025 Look out for deals on Amazon-specific bestsellers such as Mellanni’s wrinkle-resistant, super soft sheets, and other bedding sets, from pillows to silky pillowcases. Blake Bakkila, Architectural Digest, 1 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1864, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bestseller was in 1864

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Cite this Entry

“Bestseller.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bestseller. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

best-seller

noun
best-sell·​er
ˈbes(t)-ˈsel-ər
: an article (as a book) whose sales are among the highest of its kind
best-selling
-ˈsel-iŋ
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on bestseller

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