salesman

noun

sales·​man ˈsālz-mən 

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

Synonyms

• clerk
• salesperson

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

My Dad was the first salesman in Florida—the only Florida employee of Apple Computer. —Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 June 2025

Wilson played Dunder Mifflin salesman and assistant manager Dwight Schrute for the entirety of the show’s nine-season run, which concluded in 2013. —Glenn Garner, Deadline, 28 June 2025

All the other teams turned up lookin’ like insurance salesmen, and Nigeria came out lookin’ like actual superheroes. —Eduardo Tansley, New York Times, 16 June 2025

Born in Boston, Walter had spent years bouncing around the country and into different jobs — salesman, chef, butler, lumberjack, law clerk, and restaurant manager. —Mara Bovsun, New York Daily News, 15 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1523, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing salesman

• traveling salesman

Rhymes for salesman

• salesmen

Kids Definition

salesman

noun

sales·​man -mən 

: one who sells in a specific territory or in a store

salesmanship

-ˌship

noun