retail

verb

re·tail | \ ˈrē-ˌtāl

, especially for sense 2 also ri-ˈtāl\

retailed; retailing; retails

Definition of retail

(Entry 1 of 4)

transitive verb

1 : to sell in small quantities directly to the ultimate consumer

2 : tell, retell

intransitive verb

: to sell at retail

retail

noun

re·tail | \ ˈrē-ˌtāl

Definition of retail (Entry 2 of 4)

: the sale of commodities or goods in small quantities to ultimate consumers also : the industry of such selling

at retail

1 : at a retailer's price

2 : retail entry 4

retail

adjective

re·tail | \ ˈrē-ˌtāl

Definition of retail (Entry 3 of 4)

: of, relating to, or engaged in the sale of commodities at retail retail trade

retail

adverb

re·tail | \ ˈrē-ˌtāl

Definition of retail (Entry 4 of 4)

: in small quantities : from a retailer

Other Words from retail Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about retail

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Synonyms & Antonyms for retail

Synonyms: Verb

deal (in), market, merchandise (also merchandize), put up, sell, vend

Antonyms: Verb

buy, purchase

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.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

For prospective home brewers, the $189 Pico U Deluxe far undercuts other more recent Pico appliances, which now retail for $399 and $599. — Mike Snider, USA TODAY, "Coffee, tea or beer, PicoBrew’s new craft beer appliance brews it all — even kombucha," 16 May 2018 George, 4, previously wore the sweater from Spanish brand Fina Ejerique, which retailed for $52, in a 2016 photo of Queen Elizabeth with seven of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. — Monique Jessen, PEOPLE.com, "Can You Spot the Sweet Hand-Me-Downs in the New Photos of Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte?," 6 May 2018 The Pioneer Woman’s Bedding Collection is Available Now The bag retails for $148 and is available in Chocolate and Whiskey. — Southern Living, "The Pioneer Woman's Leather Tote Is The Only Bag You'll Ever Need," 16 Jan. 2018 The Jordy lip kit, a raspberry red shade, originally retailed for $27, but was slashed to $13.50 (ouch!) as of Friday morning. — Jenny Hollander, Marie Claire, "The Jordy Lip Kit Reviews on Kylie Cosmetics' Website Are Brutal," 22 Feb. 2019 The mug retails for $129 on Amazon, while the mug and blender combo go for $149, and the complete set including the percolator and the vehicle adapter sells for $159. — Brittney Morgan, House Beautiful, "Your Tea Will Never Go Cold Again With This Smart Travel Mug," 11 Feb. 2019 The sequined Sarandon gown by Mouret retails for $5,595, and features long sleeves and a front slit: For more royals and can't-miss fashion and beauty news, sign up for the Harper's BAZAAR Newsletter. — Amy Mackelden, Harper's BAZAAR, "Meghan Markle Just Wore Princess Diana's Bracelet & We Almost Missed It," 16 Jan. 2019 The Lipcoulour normally retails for $21, and comes in bright, nude, and red color variations. — Ella Cerón, Teen Vogue, "MAC Cosmetics Announced Their Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals," 15 Nov. 2018 In Uganda, Ngule, a beer made with 95% local raw materials, retails for 2,200 Ugandan shillings for a half-liter bottle; and Eagle Lager, a clear beer brewed with local sorghum, sells for 2,500 shillings. — Alexandra Wexler, WSJ, "Beer Giants Tap Into Africa With Brews Under $1," 18 Aug. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

American Eagle sent me its Curvy High-Waisted Jeggings, which retail for just under $38. — Glamour, "These American Eagle Jeans Solve This Annoying Denim Problem for Good," 7 Mar. 2019 The second, which retail for a little less at $460, are done in the signature Valentino red color—sans the oversized logo. — Lauren Alexis Fisher, Harper's BAZAAR, "Valentino Birkenstocks Are Now Available to Shop for $495," 27 Feb. 2019 So buyers will be paying a $30 premium for a more vibrant speaker; the standard Sonos One in black or white retails for $199. — Chris Welch, The Verge, "Sonos One coming in five limited edition colors for $229 on November 5th," 30 Oct. 2018 As investments in pure technology companies have gotten more competitive, venture capital firms that have historically focused on tech have expanded into new categories like consumer retail in search of new ways to spend their money. — Jason Del Rey, Recode, "The rise of giant consumer startups that said no to investor money," 29 Aug. 2018 The wholesale price, typically half of retail for Trine, came to $82.50. — Diana Budds, Curbed, "How Trump’s tariffs are affecting the furniture industry," 7 Aug. 2018 Today, limited-edition models like the Supreme x Nike Air Foamposite 1 retail for hundreds, and trade for thousands on the billion-dollar secondary market. — Ash Carter, New York Times, "How Sneakers Intersect With Recent American History," 5 July 2018 Earlier this year, the city Assembly authorized a new, high-density zoning district aimed at blending housing with retail. — Devin Kelly, Anchorage Daily News, "Condos on top of shops: A proposed Dimond Boulevard project signals a new kind of Anchorage growth," 24 June 2018 In fact, collecting emails and signing customers up for loyalty programs is a big part of those jobs now, said Jill Dvorak, senior director of digital retail for the National Retail Foundation. — Juliana Feliciano Reyes, Philly.com, "Retail workers say they're under pressure to get your emails," 21 June 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

Macy’s is the most underestimated retail operation out there, according to an industry expert. — Elizabeth Winkler, WSJ, "Look to These Five Retailers to Bring Holiday Cheer," 14 Dec. 2018 Cardboard disposal was a commercial endeavor, zoned to retail and industrial spaces with specialized dumpsters and cardboard compactors. — Jamie Lauren Keiles, Vox, "Why is it so hard to get rid of cardboard boxes?," 6 Dec. 2018 The low-slung building on Evans Avenue with the greenhouse roof blends into the surroundings in an uninspiring stretch of Denver, all nondescript retail and pockets of ranch homes. — Kevin Dupzyk, Popular Mechanics, "Kimbal Musk Is Reinventing Food One Shipping Container at a Time," 24 Oct. 2018 Amazon has diversified its retail operation to include third-party sellers that can sell products direct to consumers, while eBay has grown from an auction site for used goods to a place where companies can create entire e-commerce operations. — Nick Statt, The Verge, "eBay is suing Amazon over allegedly poaching its third-party sellers," 18 Oct. 2018 Burns says the hybrid is better suited for towing, but that the electric model would meet a variety of commercial and retail applications and could be in production at the company's Indiana factory within two years. — Gary Gastelu, Fox News, "Workhorse planning to beat Tesla to market with all-electric pickup," 13 Aug. 2018 Plans call for adding five new gates and passenger waiting areas as well as food and retail concession space and restrooms in a 55,000-square-foot addition, according to the Maryland Aviation Administration. — Colin Campbell, baltimoresun.com, "BWI proposes expedited, $60 million concourse expansion for Southwest Airlines," 10 July 2018 The website Black Friday Death Count documents instances of violence in retail stores during Black Friday sales. — Kelsey Piper, Vox, "Giving Tuesday, explained," 27 Nov. 2018 The company hasn’t confirmed any major discounts for Apple.com or its retail stores thus far; per usual, look to third-party retailers for anything significant. — Jeff Dunn, Ars Technica, "Dealmaster: The Black Friday 2018 tech deals that might actually be worth buying," 18 Nov. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'retail.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.