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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.
The event was oversold, and thousands of people rushed the gymnasium doors, causing a stampede that left nine people dead, per CNN. Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 4 Dec. 2025 Other stocks that are oversold and might see a near-term bounce include Humana , Palo Alto Networks and BlackRock . Pia Singh, CNBC, 22 Nov. 2025 If Article 6 isn’t going to exceed that, then it’s been oversold as a solution. Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 11 Nov. 2025 Researchers behind a new study say that the methods used to evaluate AI systems’ capabilities routinely oversell AI performance and lack scientific rigor. Jared Perlo, NBC news, 6 Nov. 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 6 Dec. 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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