sell

Examples

• All

• 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?

  Ryan Pineda

• 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.

  Mad City (1997)

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

Synonyms

P

pitch

vssell

147 4.2

A place where a seller sets up to sell goods

is about the act of persuading rather than being a physical place

P

persuasion

vssell

45 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

S

sales pitch

vssell

26 3.2

A short talk to convince someone to buy something

is less limited, covering any attempt to persuade beyond a single presentation

H

hard sell

vssell

• Informal

15 5.3

A strong, pushy effort to make someone buy something

is a general attempt to persuade that is not necessarily forceful or aggressive

S

selling

vssell

9 1.0

Exchanging goods or services for money

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

S

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

S

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

S

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

P

presell

vssell

• Jargon

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

Antonyms

R

refusal

122 1.4

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

Idioms

S

to sell down the river

• Informal

12 8.8

To betray someone to get something for yourself

S

to sell a bill of goods

• Informal

2 9.0

To trick someone by making something false seem valuable

B

to buy low, sell high

1 3.9

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

S

to sell like hot cakes

• Informal

1 3.3

To be bought quickly by many people

S

to sell like gangbusters

• Informal

1 7.2

Many people buy it very quickly

H

to have a bridge to sell

• Informal

9.9

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

S

to sell one's soul

• Informal

8.3

Act badly to get money, power, or success

S

to sell one's own grandmother

• Informal

9.9

To betray or use close family to get something for yourself

S

to sell the family silver

• UK

8.6

Give up valuable family items to solve money problems

S

to sell your birthright

8.2

To give up something very important for little or no value

S

to sell your birthright for a mess of pottage

9.9

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

Compounds

H

hard sell

• Informal

15 5.3

A strong, pushy effort to make someone buy something

S

sell-by date

• US

4 3.2

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

S

soft sell

1 3.9

A gentle way to encourage people to buy something

How Persuasive

hard sell

• Informal

15 5.3

sell

292 4.6

pitch

147 4.2

suggestion

759 1.4

Surface Forms

Etymology