merchandise
Americannoun
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the manufactured goods bought and sold in any business.
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the stock of goods in a store.
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goods, especially manufactured goods; commodities.
verb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
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to buy and sell; deal in; trade.
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to plan or manage the arrangement and promotion of (goods in a store).
When you merchandise your products, promote impulse purchases by grouping like items.
noun
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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merchandisesimple
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merchandisessimple
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have merchandisedperfect
-
has merchandisedperfect
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are merchandisingprogressive
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am merchandisingprogressive
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is merchandisingprogressive
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have been merchandisingperfect progressive
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has been merchandisingperfect progressive
Past
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merchandisedsimple
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had merchandisedperfect
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was merchandisingprogressive
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were merchandisingprogressive
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had been merchandisingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of merchandise
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English marchandise, from Old French; see merchant, -ice
Explanation
The noun merchandise refers to things that can be bought or sold, like the merchandise that's for sale at your local record shop, or the merchandise sold by sidewalk vendors in a big city. When you go into a store, you're surrounded by merchandise, whether it's food, clothing, or books. Goods that can be bought or sold are merchandise, and so are items connected with a particular movie or music group — like the t-shirts you can buy at a rock concert's merchandise booth. Merchandise is also a verb, meaning "to promote or advertise" — "Retail stores merchandise goods using displays, signs, or mannequins."
Vocabulary lists containing merchandise
Material World: Shopping Lingo
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"Principles of Business," Vocabulary from Chapter 10
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This Week In Words: November 21–27, 2020
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Merchandise exports still fell for a fifth consecutive month in December 2025, and while inflation slightly eased, it continues to erode what people can afford.
From Barron's • Feb. 1, 2026
Merchandise piled up in stores, leaving them cluttered.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 18, 2025
Merchandise exports to US have surged 40% to $123bn since 2018, while services trade grew 22% to reach $66bn.
From BBC • Feb. 4, 2025
Merchandise and broken shelves were scattered on the floor.
From Seattle Times • Mar. 2, 2024
While the lady punches out numbers on her phone, I scan the Sears Merchandise Group map and directory on the wall behind the desk.
From "Things Not Seen" by Andrew Clements
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
