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sell

sell

100 4.6
An attempt to persuade someone to buy or accept something
  • noun
  • /sɛl/
: venta
  • Sometimes it was a hard sell to get the men interested in playing us at all.
  • selling point
  • hard sell
  • soft sell

So my perspective is this is the easiest sell ever, right?

Examples

  • The firm is listed as the largest sell-back photovoltaic operation in the state.

    Academic text (2011)
  • Nor is everyone enthusiastic about the selling of ethnic identity in order to revitalize struggling districts.

    Academic text (2008)
  • Well, a lot of selling is who do you know?

  • The real estate agents used this particular library as a selling point for houses in the area.

    Academic text (2013)
  • So my perspective is this is the easiest sell ever, right?

  • But it made the project a tougher sell, even with the award nomination.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • "We truck compost back and use the transfer station as a selling point," says Bennett.

    Academic text (1999)
  • One of the toughest sells for lean is the analogy: an assembly line.

    Academic text (2015)
  • IT'S GOING TO BE A TOUGH SELL.

  • The advertising campaign focused on the product's unique features to make a convincing sell to potential customers.

Synonyms

pitch
vssell
172 4.2

A place where a seller sets up to sell goods

is about the act of persuading rather than being a physical place
selling
vssell
79 1.0

Exchanging goods or services for money

focuses on persuasion to buy or accept ideas rather than the transaction itself
persuasion
vssell
47 3.6

Getting someone to do or believe something by giving reasons

is a broader attempt to persuade and can use other methods than reasoning
sales pitch
vssell
29 3.2

A short talk to convince someone to buy something

is less limited, covering any attempt to persuade beyond a single presentation
hard sell
vssell
  • Informal
23 5.3

A strong, pushy effort to make someone buy something

is a general attempt to persuade that is not necessarily forceful or aggressive
sales talk
vssell
1 3.0

Speech that tries to make someone buy something

is a broader attempt or process to persuade beyond a single speech
presell
vssell
  • Jargon
1 6.1

Promotional material or action that builds interest before a product is released

is a general attempt to persuade at any stage, not only before release
spruik
vssell
  • Australian
9.9

A short lively speech that tries to attract customers

is a general attempt to persuade to buy or accept an idea, not only promotion
salesy pitch
vssell
  • Informal
7.9

A message that tries too hard to get you to buy something

is a general attempt to persuade, not necessarily pushy or insincere

Antonyms

117 1.4

An act of saying you will not accept or agree to something

Idioms

10 8.8

To betray someone to get something for yourself

5 9.0

To trick someone by making something false seem valuable

To buy something when its price is low and sell it later to make money

1 3.3

To be bought quickly by many people

1 8.3

Act badly to get money, power, or success

1 9.9

To offer something unbelievable to trick someone, often as a joke

To give up something very important for little or no value

1 7.2

Many people buy it very quickly

Give up valuable family items to solve money problems

To betray or use close family to get something for yourself

To give up something very important for a small, quick gain

Compounds

hard sell
  • Informal
23 5.3

A strong, pushy effort to make someone buy something

7 3.2

Date on food that shows the last day shops should keep it on shelves so it is still fresh

2 3.9

A gentle way to encourage people to buy something

How Persuasive

hard sell
  • Informal
23 5.3
sell
100 4.6
pitch
172 4.2
suggestion
602 1.4

Surface Forms

sell singular
sells plural

Etymology

Sell as a noun means an attempt to persuade and comes from the same idea of convincing a buyer. So a 'hard sell' is a difficult or strong attempt to make someone buy or accept something.