sellout

1 of 2

noun

sell·​out ˈsel-ˌau̇t 

1

: the act or an instance of selling out

2

: something sold out

especially : something (such as a concert or contest) for which all tickets are sold

3

: one who sells out

sell out

2 of 2

verb

sold out; selling out; sells out

transitive verb

1

: to sell the goods of (a debtor) in order to satisfy creditors

2

: to sell security or commodity holdings of usually to satisfy an uncovered margin

3

a

: to sell all the available tickets for

sold out the concert

b

: to sell all of

the merchandise was quickly sold out

intransitive verb

1

: to dispose of one's goods by sale

especially : to sell one's business

2

: to betray one's cause or associates especially for personal gain

3

: to be or achieve a sellout

Synonyms of sellout

Noun

• betrayal
• treachery
• treason

Examples of sellout in a Sentence

Noun

The concert was a sellout.

The union sees the deal as a sellout.

Angry fans called him a sellout when he started appearing in television commercials.

Verb

the band sold out its faithful followers, abandoning its edgy style for a more commercial sound

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The Sox responded with a 6-1 victory against the Colorado Rockies on Friday in front of a sellout crowd of 35,778 at Rate Field. — Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 26 Sep. 2026

Home has certainly been an advantage for the Dodgers, who drew a sellout crowd of 53,027 Thursday, pushing the team’s total home attendance over 4 million for the second straight year. — Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026

Verb

The demand has been especially intense for IMAX 70mm screenings, with showtimes selling out weeks in advance and some fans turning to the resale market to secure coveted tickets. — Lilly Workneh, HollywoodReporter, 20 Sep. 2026

However, if cashmere isn’t your knit of choice, Gap makes a stellar 100-percent cotton sweater that always goes viral and sells out every fall and COS’s Rounded Wool Crewneck features a thicker weave and more structured silhouette. — Kaitlin Clapinski, InStyle, 20 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1859, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1796, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for sellout

• about
• bailout
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout
• checkout
• closeout
• cutout
• devout
• dropout

Kids Definition

sellout

1 of 2 noun

sell·​out ˈsel-ˌau̇t 

1

: the act or an instance of selling out

2

: a show, contest, or exhibition for which all seats are sold

sell out

2 of 2 verb

(ˈ)sel-ˈau̇t

: to dispose of all of one's goods by sale