sell-off

1 of 2

noun

: a usually sudden sharp decline in security prices accompanied by increased volume of trading

sell off

2 of 2

verb

sold off; selling off; sells off

intransitive verb

: to suffer a drop in prices

Examples of sell-off in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
Tech is vulnerable to a sell-off The AI theme has driven the stock market higher across the past three years. John Towfighi, CNN Money, 6 Feb. 2026 With so many players on expiring contracts — including starters Coby White and Nikola Vučević and key sixth man Ayo Dosunmu — Karnišovas had little choice but to hold a yard sale this week, much like Cubs President Jed Hoyer did with his summer sell-off at the 2021 MLB trade deadline. Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
Verb
Companies to watch include Kraft Heinz, which could share more details on its upcoming split, and Nestle, which is considering selling off multiple brands in its portfolio. Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 31 Jan. 2026 Once rooted in headline-grabbing Los Angeles properties—including homes previously owned by Tom Cruise—Longoria has steadily reworked her property portfolio, selling off stateside holdings while putting down deeper roots abroad. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 30 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sell-off

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1976, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1976, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sell-off was in 1976

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sell-off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sell-off. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.

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