sellout

1 of 2

noun

sell·​out ˈsel-ˌau̇t How to pronounce sellout (audio)
1
: the act or an instance of selling out
2
: something sold out
especially : something (such as a concert or contest) for which all tickets are sold
3
: one who sells out

sell out

2 of 2

verb

sold out; selling out; sells out

transitive verb

1
: to sell the goods of (a debtor) in order to satisfy creditors
2
: to sell security or commodity holdings of usually to satisfy an uncovered margin
3
a
: to sell all the available tickets for
sold out the concert
b
: to sell all of
the merchandise was quickly sold out

intransitive verb

1
: to dispose of one's goods by sale
especially : to sell one's business
2
: to betray one's cause or associates especially for personal gain
3
: to be or achieve a sellout

Examples of sellout in a Sentence

Noun The concert was a sellout. The union sees the deal as a sellout. Angry fans called him a sellout when he started appearing in television commercials. Verb the band sold out its faithful followers, abandoning its edgy style for a more commercial sound
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
In the wake of Oppenheimer, Imax released a limited number of 70-millimeter prints of Dune: Part Two, a box office strategy that earned theater sellouts for weeks on end. Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 May 2024 The venue seats 5,000 people, and the Sparks announced the contest was a sellout. Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 16 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for sellout 

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

Noun

1859, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1796, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sellout was in 1796

Dictionary Entries Near sellout

Cite this Entry

“Sellout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sellout. Accessed 28 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

sellout

1 of 2 noun
sell·​out ˈsel-ˌau̇t How to pronounce sellout (audio)
1
: the act or an instance of selling out
2
: a show, contest, or exhibition for which all seats are sold

sell out

2 of 2 verb
(ˈ)sel-ˈau̇t
: to dispose of all of one's goods by sale
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!