sell
Sell (verb) means to hand over goods or services to someone in exchange for money. Example: “She sold her old car for two thousand pounds.”
How to use sell
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo exchange something you own for money, or more loosely, to get someone to accept an idea.
Don't confuse the verb "sell" with "sale" (the noun for the event or transaction itself).
Word forms
sold past tense, sells plural, sells plural, sells plural, Sells plural, sells singular
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The shop _____ everything from bread to batteries.
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.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for sell
See all rhymes for 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.'
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