retailed; retailing; retails
: to sell at retail
retailer
noun
: the sale of commodities or goods in small quantities to ultimate consumers
also
: the industry of such selling
: of, relating to, or engaged in the sale of commodities at retail
retail trade
Synonyms
Examples of retail in a Sentence
Verb
We retail clothing at the best possible prices.
jewelry that retails from $100
Noun
She has a job in retail.
Adjective
Is that price retail or wholesale?
Adverb
You usually have to pay more if you buy something retail than if you buy it wholesale.
The product sells retail for about $100.
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Recent Examples on the Web
Matt Reynolds, WIRED, 16 Nov. 2023
The quirky shoes, which will retail between $70 and $75, can paired with $20 matching socks featuring the famous characters' faces.
—Elizabeth Napolitano, CBS News, 14 Nov. 2023
The Summer House star, 31, paired the sparkling statement underwear — which retail for $5,600 — with a white, collared shirt and hair clips, also from the designer brand.
—Bailey Richards, Peoplemag, 6 Nov. 2023
Prices retail from $65 to $210 for apparel while footwear will retail from $200 to $220.
—Essence, 26 Oct. 2023
The underwear, which retails for $5,600, is covered in sequin and crystal embellishments.
—Dory Jackson, Peoplemag, 5 Nov. 2023
The new Prestige will retail for around $5.2 million as a base boat, or $6.2 million nicely loaded.
—Howard Walker, Robb Report, 23 Oct. 2023
As the brand’s first Artist-in-Residence, Doja worked closely with the Skechers design team to create the sneakers, which retail for $125 and are available in a variety of vibrant and neutral colorways.
—Latifah Muhammad, Billboard, 28 Sep. 2023
The staple piece, which retails for $140 (but is currently on sale for $70) is a welcome addition to any closet.
—Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 12 Sep. 2023
Kathryn Romeyn, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Nov. 2023
The company, whose industry clouds span sectors including healthcare and retail, reported in September that cloud revenue for quarter through August rose 30%, a slower rate than in the previous and year-earlier quarters.
—Isabelle Bousquette, WSJ, 17 Nov. 2023
La Cocina de Casa Cavia La Cocina restaurant is tucked inside Casa Cavia, a high-end retail and restaurant concept in Palermo.
—Megan Wood, Travel + Leisure, 14 Nov. 2023
The resort area of Wailea itself, in addition to great beaches, offers championship golf and luxury retail.
—Debbi Kickham, Forbes, 13 Nov. 2023
Christmas in Grapevine Christmas in Grapevine is about a lot more than food and retail.
—Jennifer Chappell Smith, Southern Living, 13 Nov. 2023
Estimates project that the Maui economy won’t recover to pre-Lahaina-fire levels until 2026, with accommodations, food services, and retail hit the hardest.
—Jack Kiyonaga, The Christian Science Monitor, 7 Nov. 2023
After getting laid off from her corporate job at Wells Fargo, Levesque ventured into retail, working for a local shop and later opening her own store, Anica Boutique.
—Maia Torres, Vogue, 6 Nov. 2023
Distilled six times over, St. Royale is corn-based, gluten-free and honey-infused and retails for $23.
—Julie Jordan, Peoplemag, 2 Nov. 2023
Julia Cherner, ABC News, 19 Nov. 2023
The team’s physical retail debut follows what Meli characterized as a greater-than-anticipated demand for San Diego FC gear at the October brand reveal.
—Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Nov. 2023
The consumer restraint showed up across the economy in October, as retail sales fell by 0.1 percent from the previous month, the first such decline in six months, according to the Commerce Department.
—Tory Newmyer, Washington Post, 18 Nov. 2023
Brian Yarbrough, a retail analyst with financial services firm Edward Jones, said Walmart had a solid quarter.
—arkansasonline.com, 17 Nov. 2023
In 2022, the cost of retail returns in the U.S. reached a staggering $817 billion, with a quarter of it stemming from e-commerce.
—Heather Hoover-Salomon, Fortune, 17 Nov. 2023
However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
Get ready to rattle and hum: U2‘s Las Vegas residency resumes next week and tickets are selling fast.
—Anna Chan, Billboard, 17 Nov. 2023
The new Klawock port, on Prince of Wales Island, is poised to welcome large ships in the 2024 season with food and retail outposts, exhibits detailing Indigenous culture and history, and nature trails.
—Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 16 Nov. 2023
Are any retail and grocery stores closed on Election Day?
—Bychris Morris, Fortune, 7 Nov. 2023
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Verb
In 2019 a carton of liquid Just Egg retailed at close to $8, according to Bloomberg.
—Matt Reynolds, WIRED, 16 Nov. 2023
The quirky shoes, which will retail between $70 and $75, can paired with $20 matching socks featuring the famous characters' faces.
—Elizabeth Napolitano, CBS News, 14 Nov. 2023
The Summer House star, 31, paired the sparkling statement underwear — which retail for $5,600 — with a white, collared shirt and hair clips, also from the designer brand.
—Bailey Richards, Peoplemag, 6 Nov. 2023
Prices retail from $65 to $210 for apparel while footwear will retail from $200 to $220.
—Essence, 26 Oct. 2023
The underwear, which retails for $5,600, is covered in sequin and crystal embellishments.
—Dory Jackson, Peoplemag, 5 Nov. 2023
The new Prestige will retail for around $5.2 million as a base boat, or $6.2 million nicely loaded.
—Howard Walker, Robb Report, 23 Oct. 2023
As the brand’s first Artist-in-Residence, Doja worked closely with the Skechers design team to create the sneakers, which retail for $125 and are available in a variety of vibrant and neutral colorways.
—Latifah Muhammad, Billboard, 28 Sep. 2023
The staple piece, which retails for $140 (but is currently on sale for $70) is a welcome addition to any closet.
—Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 12 Sep. 2023
Noun
The region also is home to the car-free coastal town Las Catalinas, which will open its first commercial center, La Rambla, late next year, with residences, dining, offices and retail.
—Kathryn Romeyn, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Nov. 2023
The company, whose industry clouds span sectors including healthcare and retail, reported in September that cloud revenue for quarter through August rose 30%, a slower rate than in the previous and year-earlier quarters.
—Isabelle Bousquette, WSJ, 17 Nov. 2023
La Cocina de Casa Cavia La Cocina restaurant is tucked inside Casa Cavia, a high-end retail and restaurant concept in Palermo.
—Megan Wood, Travel + Leisure, 14 Nov. 2023
The resort area of Wailea itself, in addition to great beaches, offers championship golf and luxury retail.
—Debbi Kickham, Forbes, 13 Nov. 2023
Christmas in Grapevine Christmas in Grapevine is about a lot more than food and retail.
—Jennifer Chappell Smith, Southern Living, 13 Nov. 2023
Estimates project that the Maui economy won’t recover to pre-Lahaina-fire levels until 2026, with accommodations, food services, and retail hit the hardest.
—Jack Kiyonaga, The Christian Science Monitor, 7 Nov. 2023
After getting laid off from her corporate job at Wells Fargo, Levesque ventured into retail, working for a local shop and later opening her own store, Anica Boutique.
—Maia Torres, Vogue, 6 Nov. 2023
Distilled six times over, St. Royale is corn-based, gluten-free and honey-infused and retails for $23.
—Julie Jordan, Peoplemag, 2 Nov. 2023
Adjective
Breed said empty offices didn't tell a complete story about her city and that going forward, areas like downtown had to be adapted to be more than just retail.
—Julia Cherner, ABC News, 19 Nov. 2023
The team’s physical retail debut follows what Meli characterized as a greater-than-anticipated demand for San Diego FC gear at the October brand reveal.
—Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Nov. 2023
The consumer restraint showed up across the economy in October, as retail sales fell by 0.1 percent from the previous month, the first such decline in six months, according to the Commerce Department.
—Tory Newmyer, Washington Post, 18 Nov. 2023
Brian Yarbrough, a retail analyst with financial services firm Edward Jones, said Walmart had a solid quarter.
—arkansasonline.com, 17 Nov. 2023
In 2022, the cost of retail returns in the U.S. reached a staggering $817 billion, with a quarter of it stemming from e-commerce.
—Heather Hoover-Salomon, Fortune, 17 Nov. 2023
However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
Get ready to rattle and hum: U2‘s Las Vegas residency resumes next week and tickets are selling fast.
—Anna Chan, Billboard, 17 Nov. 2023
The new Klawock port, on Prince of Wales Island, is poised to welcome large ships in the 2024 season with food and retail outposts, exhibits detailing Indigenous culture and history, and nature trails.
—Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 16 Nov. 2023
Are any retail and grocery stores closed on Election Day?
—Bychris Morris, Fortune, 7 Nov. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'retail.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English, from Anglo-French retaille cutting, deduction, retail, from retailler to cut out, from re- + tailler to cut — more at tailor
First Known Use
Verb
15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Noun
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Adjective
1601, in the meaning defined above
Adverb
1784, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of retail was
in the 15th century
Phrases Containing retail
Dictionary Entries Near retail
Cite this Entry
“Retail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/retail. Accessed 1 Dec. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
retail
1 of 4 verb
re·tail
ˈrē-ˌtāl 
: to sell in small amounts to people for their own use
retailer
noun
retail
2 of 4 noun
: the sale of products or goods in small quantities to people for their own use
retail
3 of 4 adjective
: of, relating to, or engaged in selling by retail
retail stores
retail
4 of 4 adverb
: in small quantities : from a retailer
More from Merriam-Webster on retail
Nglish: Translation of retail for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of retail for Arabic Speakers
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