Sell (Verb)
Meaning 1
Deliver to an enemy by treachery; "Judas sold Jesus"; "The spy betrayed his country".
Classification
Verbs of political and social activities and events.
Examples
- He would never sell his country to the enemy no matter the price or the threat.
- She was accused of selling the confidential information to their business rival.
- Their company was sold to a foreign investor through a clandestine deal.
- Judas sold Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, a shameful act of betrayal.
- The double agent sold state secrets to the enemy during the height of the war.
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Meaning 2
Exchange or deliver for money or its equivalent; "He sold his house in January"; "She sells her body to survive and support her drug habit".
Classification
Verbs of buying, selling, owning.
Examples
- She sold her car to pay off her debts.
- The artist sells his paintings at a local gallery.
- He sold his old furniture and bought new ones.
- Some people sell their skills as freelancers online.
- The company sells its products globally through e-commerce websites.
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Meaning 3
Be sold at a certain price or in a certain way; "These books sell like hot cakes".
Classification
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations.
Examples
- These cookies sell for a dollar each at the bake sale.
- Her paintings sell for thousands of dollars at the art gallery.
- His handmade jewelry sells well at the local craft fair.
- The new mobile phones sell like crazy during holiday seasons.
- Their company's innovative gadgets sell out quickly online.
Related Words
Meaning 4
Give up for a price or reward; "She sold her principles for a successful career".
Classification
Verbs of buying, selling, owning.
Examples
- He sold his integrity to become a wealthy politician within a short span of time.
- The struggling artist sold her creative freedom to work on advertisements for a steady paycheck.
- She sold her values for fame and now her fans don't know the real her.
- He sold his health for the sake of his demanding job as a CEO.
- They sold their happiness for material wealth and now feel empty inside.
Hypernyms
Meaning 5
Be approved of or gain acceptance; "The new idea sold well in certain circles".
Classification
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations.
Examples
- Her quirky sense of style sold surprisingly well with the fashion critics at the international show.
- The artist's unique perspective sold well in the contemporary art circles of Paris.
- The concept of remote work sold to the employees after they realized its benefits in work-life balance.
- The modern twist on Shakespeare's classic story sold relatively well among the young theater-goers.
- The entrepreneur's innovative business model sold impressively to the venture capitalists in the meeting.
Meaning 6
Be responsible for the sale of; "All her publicity sold the products".
Classification
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations.
Examples
- His charming personality sold the idea to the investors, and they agreed to fund the project.
- The beautiful models in the advertisements sold the new fashion brand to young adults.
- The catchy slogan sold the energy drink to people looking for a boost during workouts.
- The celebrity endorsements sold the new phone to millions of fans worldwide.
- The powerful speech sold the politician's vision to the people, and she won the election.
Related Words
Meaning 7
Persuade somebody to accept something; "The French try to sell us their image as great lovers".
Classification
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing.
Examples
- She tried to sell me on the idea of skydiving for my birthday, but I'm still not convinced.
- The marketing team will sell us on the benefits of the new smartphone at the conference tomorrow.
- Politicians often sell voters on the idea that they will create jobs and stimulate economic growth.
- The travel agent attempted to sell us on visiting a lesser-known destination instead of popular beaches.
- They're trying to sell investors on the potential of their unproven technology to revolutionize the industry.
Meaning 8
Do business; offer for sale as for one's livelihood; "She deals in gold"; "The brothers sell shoes".
Classification
Verbs of buying, selling, owning.
Examples
- They have been selling insurance policies for over two decades.
- The new business will sell groceries at a discounted rate to locals.
- As the head of the company, she oversees the team that sells electronic devices worldwide.
- Her family has been selling traditional handicrafts at the market for years.
- The entrepreneur makes a living by selling handmade jewelry online.