peddler

noun

ped·​dler ˈped-lər How to pronounce peddler (audio)
variants or less commonly pedlar
plural peddlers also pedlars
: someone who peddles: such as
a
: someone who offers merchandise (such as fresh produce) for sale along the street or from door to door
b
: someone who deals in or promotes something intangible (such as a personal asset or an idea)
influence peddlers

commonly confused with pedaler

Examples of peddler in a Sentence

the peddler on the street corner selling baseball caps
Recent Examples on the Web As two catastrophic storms upended American cities, a patchwork network of influencers and fake-news peddlers have done their best to sow distrust, stoke resentment, and interfere with relief efforts. Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 10 Oct. 2024 The attacks were a gift to peddlers of xenophobia, white supremacism, and Christian nationalism: as dark-skinned Muslim foreigners bent on murdering Americans, al Qaeda terrorists and their ilk seemed to have stepped out of a far-right fever dream. Cynthia Miller-Idriss, Foreign Affairs, 24 Aug. 2021 Russian disinformation peddlers are producing videos targeting the Harris-Walz campaign with false and disparaging claims, Microsoft said Tuesday. Kevin Collier, NBC News, 17 Sep. 2024 Sailer, one of the most prominent peddlers of race science in the United States, has made a career out of noticing things. Ali Breland, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for peddler 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'peddler.' 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

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of peddler was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near peddler

Cite this Entry

“Peddler.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/peddler. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on peddler

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