sold
ˈsōld 
; selling
; selling
1
: to deliver or give up in violation of duty, trust, or loyalty and especially for personal gain : betray
—often used with out
sell out their country
2
a(1)
: to give up (property) to another for something of value (such as money)
(2)
: to offer for sale
b
: to give up in return for something else especially foolishly or dishonorably
sold his birthright for a mess of pottage
c
: to exact a price for
sold their lives dearly
3
a
: to deliver into slavery for money
b
: to give into the power of another
sold his soul to the devil
c
: to deliver the personal services of for money
4
: to dispose of or manage for profit instead of in accordance with conscience, justice, or duty
sold their votes
5
a
: to develop a belief in the truth, value, or desirability of : gain acceptance for
trying to sell a program to the Congress
b
: to persuade or influence to a course of action or to the acceptance of something
sell children on reading
6
: to impose on : cheat
7
a
: to cause or promote the sale of
using television advertising to sell cereal
b
: to make or attempt to make sales to
c
: to influence or induce to make a purchase
8
: to achieve a sale of
sold a million copies
1
: to dispose of something by sale
thinks now is a good time to sell
2
: to achieve a sale
also
: to achieve satisfactory sales
hoped that the new line would sell
3
: to have a specified price
sell
4 of 4chiefly Scottish variant of self
Synonyms
Examples of sell in a Sentence
Verb
He buys and remodels houses and then sells them at a profit.
Stock prices are increasing, so now is a good time to sell.
Only a few stores sell that type of equipment.
Recent Examples on the Web
Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 17 Apr. 2024
Here's where to celebrate legally: Marijuana dispensaries in Illinois
In Illinois, recreational marijuana can be sold to all adults 21+ regardless of residency, according to Illinoiscannabis.org.
—Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 17 Apr. 2024
That came after the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions issued a cease and desist order against Yang for working as an investment adviser and selling investments without a license.
—Tom Daykin, Journal Sentinel, 17 Apr. 2024
Is this organization content with selling nostalgia at a premium price and winning just enough to remain relevant, at least for one game past the regular season?
—Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2024
One of van Beurden’s strategies to cut Shell’s greenhouse gas emissions was through divestment, in other words, selling stakes in certain carbon-emitting activities.
—Ryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 17 Apr. 2024
Indonesia requires that smartphones sold in the country are made up of at least 35% local components by value; Apple’s phones satisfy the quota as a result of the company’s investment in local software development.
—Nicholas Gordon, Fortune Asia, 17 Apr. 2024
His parents found work in factories and small shops, and Martín sold pastries on the street to help bring in extra money.
—Brian Murphy, Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2024
Artists with studio space at the art center also can partner with the Zhou B Art Center by using the application Artsy to sell their work.
—J.m. Banks, Kansas City Star, 5 Apr. 2024
Stanley Reed, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024
An experiment becomes an experience But that first dinner wasn’t exactly an easy sell.
—Rachel Bernhard, Journal Sentinel, 26 Mar. 2024
A lot of the objects that Julien’s sells are mass-produced, with little intrinsic value.
—Rachel Monroe, The New Yorker, 18 Mar. 2024
For poor Nepalis, the prospect of a salary at $2,000 a month and potential access to a passport with more possibility for mobility than their own is a strong sell.
—Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 28 Feb. 2024
Serious drama without a celebrity draw is an extremely tough sell in this era of entertainment-on-demand and social media hypnosis.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2024
That may be a tough sell with Republicans on Capitol Hill, particularly in a presidential election year.
—Joel Rose, NPR, 29 Mar. 2024
Part of this is a marketing problem, as ride comfort—something EV upstart Lucid has staked a large part of its existence on—is an easier sell than sustainable materials, and part of it is also that the fundamental nature of selling cars has changed in the era of luxury EVs.
—Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 25 Mar. 2024
Meanwhile, Wells Fargo analyst Colin Langan wrote to clients Wednesday that the electric vehicle maker’s growth in core markets has moderated, downgrading the stock to the equivalent of a sell rating.
—Sunny Nagpaul, Fortune, 14 Mar. 2024
Verb
The team prepares to launch their website, which will sell an innovative sleeping device that soothes sleepers with the calming sound of Rainn's voice.
—Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 17 Apr. 2024
Here's where to celebrate legally: Marijuana dispensaries in Illinois
In Illinois, recreational marijuana can be sold to all adults 21+ regardless of residency, according to Illinoiscannabis.org.
—Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 17 Apr. 2024
That came after the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions issued a cease and desist order against Yang for working as an investment adviser and selling investments without a license.
—Tom Daykin, Journal Sentinel, 17 Apr. 2024
Is this organization content with selling nostalgia at a premium price and winning just enough to remain relevant, at least for one game past the regular season?
—Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2024
One of van Beurden’s strategies to cut Shell’s greenhouse gas emissions was through divestment, in other words, selling stakes in certain carbon-emitting activities.
—Ryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 17 Apr. 2024
Indonesia requires that smartphones sold in the country are made up of at least 35% local components by value; Apple’s phones satisfy the quota as a result of the company’s investment in local software development.
—Nicholas Gordon, Fortune Asia, 17 Apr. 2024
His parents found work in factories and small shops, and Martín sold pastries on the street to help bring in extra money.
—Brian Murphy, Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2024
Artists with studio space at the art center also can partner with the Zhou B Art Center by using the application Artsy to sell their work.
—J.m. Banks, Kansas City Star, 5 Apr. 2024
Noun
Some analysts forecast that the European Union’s carbon tax will soar well above €100 a metric ton in future years, making proposals like Eni’s, which Mr. Brusco says will cost less than €80 a metric ton on average, an easier sell.
—Stanley Reed, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024
An experiment becomes an experience But that first dinner wasn’t exactly an easy sell.
—Rachel Bernhard, Journal Sentinel, 26 Mar. 2024
A lot of the objects that Julien’s sells are mass-produced, with little intrinsic value.
—Rachel Monroe, The New Yorker, 18 Mar. 2024
For poor Nepalis, the prospect of a salary at $2,000 a month and potential access to a passport with more possibility for mobility than their own is a strong sell.
—Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 28 Feb. 2024
Serious drama without a celebrity draw is an extremely tough sell in this era of entertainment-on-demand and social media hypnosis.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2024
That may be a tough sell with Republicans on Capitol Hill, particularly in a presidential election year.
—Joel Rose, NPR, 29 Mar. 2024
Part of this is a marketing problem, as ride comfort—something EV upstart Lucid has staked a large part of its existence on—is an easier sell than sustainable materials, and part of it is also that the fundamental nature of selling cars has changed in the era of luxury EVs.
—Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 25 Mar. 2024
Meanwhile, Wells Fargo analyst Colin Langan wrote to clients Wednesday that the electric vehicle maker’s growth in core markets has moderated, downgrading the stock to the equivalent of a sell rating.
—Sunny Nagpaul, Fortune, 14 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sell.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Sell.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sell. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
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