bill of goods

noun phrase

1
: a consignment of merchandise
2
: something intentionally misrepresented : something passed off in a deception or fraud
often used in the phrase sell a bill of goods

Examples of bill of goods in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Since 2008, when California voters authorized a $10 billion bond issue for the train, they’ve been sold a bill of goods. Wendell Cox, WSJ, 1 Jan. 2024 Americans have been sold a bill of goods, coming and going. Tamar Haspel, Washington Post, 25 Apr. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bill of goods.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1842, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bill of goods was in 1842

Dictionary Entries Near bill of goods

Cite this Entry

“Bill of goods.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bill%20of%20goods. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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