peddle

verb

ped·​dle ˈpe-dᵊl 

peddled; peddling ˈped-liŋ 

ˈpe-dᵊl-iŋ

intransitive verb

1

: to travel about with wares for sale

broadly : sell

peddling without a license

2

: to be busy with trifles : piddle

transitive verb

1

: to sell or offer for sale from place to place : hawk

broadly : sell

They peddled fruits and vegetables from a truck on the side of the road.

2

: to deal out or seek to disseminate

peddling personal advice

—G. F. Kennan

3

: to offer or promote as valuable

peddled snake oils and miracle lotions

Synonyms

• hawk

Examples of peddle in a Sentence

They peddled fruits and vegetables out of their truck on the side of the road.

He peddled his idea for a new movie to every executive in Hollywood.

The mayor's aides tried to peddle his innocence to reporters.

Recent Examples on the Web

Charles Higham also had this pattern of peddling misinformation in a lot of his biographies, particularly those of Howard Hughes and Errol Flynn. —Hazlitt, 30 Apr. 2025

Trial opens for former East Bay cop accused of peddling steroids The officers attempted to use a stun device on Hoang nine times — only succeeding after the first eight attempts failed, authorities said. —Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2025

At first, this claim, this theory, was peddled by the fringe Left. —Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 25 Apr. 2025

When results don’t show up on the bottom line, critics can - and will - accuse DEI leaders of peddling empty promises. —Hec Paris Insights, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

back-formation from peddler, from Middle English pedlere, alteration of pedder peddler

First Known Use

1532, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Phrases Containing peddle

• peddle one's wares

Rhymes for peddle

• bedell
• heddle
• medal
• meddle
• pedal
• wedel
• bipedal
• intermeddle

Kids Definition

peddle

verb

ped·​dle ˈped-ᵊl 

peddled; peddling -liŋ 

-ᵊl-iŋ

1

: to travel about especially from house to house with goods for sale

2

: to sell from place to place usually in small quantities

3

: to present (something) in a manner that is intended to convince others of its value

peddled her opinion to her friends

peddler noun

also pedlar

ˈped-lər