salesman

noun

sales·​man ˈsālz-mən How to pronounce salesman (audio)
plural salesmen
: a person (especially a man) whose job is to sell a product or service in a given territory, in a store, or by telephone compare salesperson, saleswoman

Examples of salesman in a Sentence

He was the company's best salesman last year. a furniture salesman followed us around the whole time we looked for a new couch
Recent Examples on the Web But the progenitor of cattle ranching in the archipelago is Jack McCord, an Iowa farm boy and consummate salesman who struck gold in Alaska and landed on Kodiak in the 1920s. WIRED, 26 Aug. 2023 Willcox, a soda-jerk at his father’s iconic Detroit Avenue Willcox Drugs, parlayed an interest in printing to becoming a Heidelberg Press salesman before joining Madison Press, originally located on Madison Avenue. John Benson, cleveland, 16 Aug. 2023 In Weston, Florida, insurance salesman Oors Fermin lived with his wife and two children in one of several buildings that Cardone purchased in the area. Josh Gabert-Doyon, The New Republic, 29 Aug. 2023 His father, Melvin, was a bookie, a cabdriver and an insurance salesman, among other things. Richard Sandomir, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2023 In another teaser, Sheeran took on the role of a mulch and baked beans salesman. Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 24 Aug. 2023 Like most struggling actors, Fernández had several odd jobs working as a waiter, a photographer and insurance salesman. Eduard Cauich, Los Angeles Times, 23 Aug. 2023 Her mother, a homemaker and bookkeeper, and her father, a salesman, were both Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe. Emily Langer, Washington Post, 10 Aug. 2023 His father, a clothing salesman, struggled to make a living. Adam Bernstein, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Aug. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'salesman.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1523, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of salesman was in 1523

Dictionary Entries Near salesman

Cite this Entry

“Salesman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/salesman. Accessed 23 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

salesman

noun
sales·​man -mən How to pronounce salesman (audio)
: one who sells in a specific territory or in a store
salesmanship
-ˌship
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on salesman

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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