bestseller

noun

best·​sell·​er ˈbes(t)-ˈse-lər 

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

ˈbes(t)-ˈse-lər-dəm 

noun

best-selling

ˈbes(t)-ˈse-liŋ 

adjective

Examples of bestseller in a Sentence

She has written several best sellers.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adapted from le Carré’s global bestseller, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, and drawing on material from his 2017 novel A Legacy of Spies, the eight-part drama is written by Stephen Cornwell and Clarissa Ingram. —Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 10 June 2026

As an Amazon bestseller at its lowest price in the past month, now's a great time to snag a pair. —Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 10 June 2026

True to its name, the ritual employs a slew of Oak Essentials bestsellers, like the Perfecting Body Scrub, Balm, Cloud Foaming Bath Oil, and Dream Bath Soak. —Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 9 June 2026

What’s driving these particular bottles to the top of bestseller lists is their ability to solve real hydration problems. —Bestreviews, Mercury News, 9 June 2026

Ferriss turned experimentation into a competitive advantage—authoring multiple #1 New York Times bestsellers, launching one of the world’s most influential podcasts, and investing early in companies like Uber, Facebook, Shopify, and Duolingo. —Harvard Business Review, 9 June 2026

The Long Sleeve Mock Neck Top is the brand's bestseller, an ultra-soft, feather-light, breathable, and cool-to-the-touch flattering quarter-zip style. —ABC News, 6 June 2026

The beloved Medicube Salmon DNA PDRN Collagen Jelly Gel Mask is a bestseller on Amazon for its ability to firm skin and reduce the appearance of fine lines. —Essence Wiley, InStyle, 6 June 2026

Writing a New York Times bestseller? —Jayson Stark, New York Times, 5 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1864, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for bestseller

• bookseller
• flagellar
• impeller
• lamellar
• micellar
• modeller
• ocellar
• patellar
• propeller
• reseller
• scutellar
• beller

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