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

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 series is based on the New York Times bestseller and beloved Harlequin book series written by author Robyn Carr. — Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 13 Nov. 2026 Its core bestsellers account for 35 percent of sales, including the Rolling Bracelet, which alone represents 13 percent. — Thomas Waller, Footwear News, 13 Nov. 2026 However, KPop Demon Hunters is predominantly associated with an audience as young as 10, and some of Anua’s bestsellers are stocked with active ingredients. — Ella Graveney, Vogue, 11 Nov. 2026 So many pieces across every category were up to 30% off, including even bestsellers and the premium stuff. — Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 11 Nov. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bestseller

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 15 Nov. 2026.

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
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