sell
11 synonyms and 2 antonyms for sell, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Verb — To hand over goods or services to someone in exchange for money.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Antonyms
How to use sell
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From Old English sellan, meaning "to give" or "to hand over for money" — the same Germanic root shows up in Swedish sälja and Danish sælge.
Full origin of sell →Frequently asked questions
What does “sell” mean?
The word “sell” means to hand over goods or services to someone in exchange for money. In plain terms, to exchange something you own for money, or more loosely, to get someone to accept an idea.
How do you pronounce “sell”?
“Sell” is pronounced sehl (/sɛl/ in IPA).
How do you use “sell” in a sentence?
Here is “sell” used in a sentence: “The shop sells everything from bread to batteries.”
What is another word for “sell”?
Words with a similar meaning to “sell” include cheap, flog, hawk, monger, peddle and retail.
What is the opposite of “sell”?
The opposite of “sell” — its antonyms — are buy and barter.
What part of speech is “sell”?
Depending on how it is used, “sell” can be a verb and a noun.
Where does the word “sell” come from?
The word “sell” comes from Old English. From Old English sellan, meaning "to give" or "to hand over for money" — the same Germanic root shows up in Swedish sälja and Danish sælge.
Is “sell” a common word?
“Sell” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
What is the difference between sell and sale?
'Sell' is a verb — the action of exchanging goods or services for money ('they sell shoes'). 'Sale' is a noun — either a single completed transaction ('we made a sale') or a period of discounted prices ('the summer sale'). If you can put 'a' or 'the' in front of it, you want 'sale.'
What is the opposite of sell?
The natural opposite is 'buy' or 'purchase' — the other side of the same transaction, where money moves in and goods move out. In a business context, opposites can also include 'acquire' or, when goods are held back rather than offered, 'keep' and 'retain.'
What is the past tense of sell?
'Sell' is irregular: both its past tense and past participle are 'sold.' So you say 'I sold the car yesterday' and 'the tickets have all been sold.' There is no form 'selled.' The present participle is 'selling,' as in 'they are selling their house.'