oversell

verb

over·​sell ˌō-vər-ˈsel How to pronounce oversell (audio)
oversold ˌō-vər-ˈsōld How to pronounce oversell (audio) ; overselling

transitive verb

1
a
: to sell too much or too many to
b
: to sell too much or too many of
2
: to make excessive claims for
oversell noun

Examples of oversell in a Sentence

Hotels routinely oversell their rooms, expecting a small percentage of no-shows. Don't oversell yourself in the job interview. The salesman oversold the features on the new model.
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.
Momentum is oversold, but there are no signs of accumulation. Bill Sarubbi, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025 France's government is on the brink of collapse in a parliamentary confidence vote that has battered the country's stocks, but some investors are betting the market has oversold French assets and are looking for bargains. Ganesh Rao, CNBC, 8 Sep. 2025 On the upside, newer models like the Nissan Kicks and Infiniti QX80 oversold projections in 2024, Uchida said. Hadley Hitson, The Tennessean, 21 Aug. 2025 Advertisement Dobson’s role in making that transition from Ike to The Apprentice is tough to oversell. Philip Elliott, Time, 21 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for oversell

Word History

First Known Use

1576, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of oversell was in 1576

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Oversell.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oversell. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

oversell

verb
over·​sell ˌō-vər-ˈsel How to pronounce oversell (audio)
oversold -ˈsōld How to pronounce oversell (audio) ; overselling
: to sell too much to or of
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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