wholesale

American  

[hohl-seyl] / ˈhoʊlˌseɪl /

noun

1. the sale of goods in quantity, as to retailers or jobbers, for resale (opposed to retail).

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or engaged in sale by wholesale.

2. extensive; broadly indiscriminate.

   wholesale discharge of workers.

   Synonyms:

   promiscuous, undiscriminating, inclusive, thorough, comprehensive, far-reaching

adverb

1. in a wholesale way; on wholesale terms.

   I can get it for you wholesale.

2. in large quantities; on a large scale, especially without discrimination.

   Wild horses were slaughtered wholesale.

verb (used with or without object)

wholesales, present (3rd person singular) wholesaled, past participle, past wholesaling present participle

1. to sell by wholesale.

wholesale British  

/ ˈhəʊlˌseɪl /

noun

1. the business of selling goods to retailers in larger quantities than they are sold to final consumers but in smaller quantities than they are purchased from manufacturers Compare retail

2. 1. in large quantities

   2. at wholesale prices

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or engaged in such business

2. made, done, etc, on a large scale or without discrimination

adverb

1. on a large scale or without discrimination

verb

1. to sell (goods) at wholesale

wholesale Cultural  

1. The sale of merchandise to retailers rather than directly to the public.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• wholesaler
  noun

Conjugated Forms

Present

• has wholesaled
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have wholesaled
  perfect
• have been wholesaling
  perfect progressive
• am wholesaling
  progressive 1st person singular
• wholesaling
  participle
• has been wholesaling
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• wholesales
  singular 3rd person
• is wholesaling
  progressive 3rd person singular
• are wholesaling
  progressive

Past

• had wholesaled
  perfect
• were wholesaling
  progressive plural
• had been wholesaling
  perfect progressive
• was wholesaling
  progressive singular
• wholesaled
  simple
• wholesaled
  participle

Future

• will wholesale
  simple
• will have wholesaled
  perfect
• will have been wholesaling
  perfect progressive
• will be wholesaling
  progressive

Etymology

Origin of wholesale

1375–1425; late Middle English, from the phrase by hole sale in gross; see whole, sale

Explanation

Use the adjective wholesale to describe something that's done on a big, broad scale, like wholesale changes made by a new government that affect an entire country. It's pretty common to see the phrase "wholesale destruction," especially when historians are talking about the overwhelming effects of war or ecological disasters. When wholesale is a verb, it has a very different meaning — to sell things in bulk, usually to someone who is going to sell it again at a higher retail price. The earliest meaning of the word was "in large quantities," combining whole and sale into the phrase "by whole sale."

Example Sentences

At the factory in Yiwu, China's wholesale hub in the east of the country, workers affixed chains to the blue and white Messi "goats", which are designed to be attached to bags.

From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026

Data on the U.S. trade balance for April are due at 8:30 a.m., followed by existing-home sales and wholesale inventories at 10 a.m.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 9, 2026

It is a sprawling network of independent retail and wholesale businesses, including a cluster of 150 shops that make up its main attraction, Santee Alley.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 7, 2026

Then she completed the wholesale shakeup that saw yet another TV vet, 60 Minutes executive producer Tanya Simon, replaced with Nick Bilton, a frequently criticized tech writer with zero experience in broadcast news.

From Slate • Jun. 5, 2026

Even the wholesale transformation seen in places like Peru, where irrigated terraces cover huge areas, were exceptionally well done.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

Related Words

• extensive
• indiscriminate
• large-scale
• sweeping