hard sell

noun

: aggressive high-pressure salesmanship compare soft sell

Examples of hard sell in a Sentence

Such an expensive project will be a hard sell during these slow economic times.

Recent Examples on the Web

But when compared to spending on something like schools, increasing the subsidy to corporations like Netflix, Apple, Amazon, and Disney — to the tune of tens of millions of dollars a year — can be an understandably hard sell to voters. — Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 2 Sep. 2026

That’s a hard sell in a market that judges most leaders on quarterly results. — IEEE Spectrum, 2 Sep. 2026

And starting over may really be a hard sell for some after 13 years, even if GTA 6 is the hot new thing. — Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026

For air taxis to take off, the public needs to get on board—and soaring into the sky in experimental tech will be a hard sell for many. — Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 3 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1945, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for hard sell

• barbell
• bedwell
• befell
• bluebell
• bombshell
• bridewell
• capelle
• cartel
• carvel
• clamshell
• cogswell
• compel