Dictionary.com

oversell

[ oh-ver-sel ]
/ ˌoʊ vərˈsɛl /
Save This Word!

verb (used with object), o·ver·sold, o·ver·sell·ing.
to sell more of (a stock, product, etc.) than can be delivered.
to sell aggressively, as by using high-pressure merchandising techniques.
to emphasize the good points of excessively and to a self-defeating extent: She so oversold the picnic that I became convinced I'd have a better time at the movies.
verb (used without object), o·ver·sold, o·ver·sell·ing.
to sell something aggressively.
to make extreme claims for something or someone.
QUIZ
QUIZ YOURSELF ON "WAS" VS. "WERE"!
Were you ready for a quiz on this topic? Well, here it is! See how well you can differentiate between the uses of "was" vs. "were" in this quiz.
Question 1 of 7
“Was” is used for the indicative past tense of “to be,” and “were” is only used for the subjunctive past tense.

Origin of oversell

First recorded in 1570–80; over- + sell1
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use oversell in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for oversell

oversell
/ (ˌəʊvəˈsɛl) /

verb -sells, -selling or -sold
(tr) to sell more of (a commodity) than can be supplied
to use excessively aggressive methods in selling (commodities)
(tr) to exaggerate the merits of
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
FEEDBACK