oversell
Americanverb (used with object)
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to sell more of (a stock, product, etc.) than can be delivered.
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to sell aggressively, as by using high-pressure merchandising techniques.
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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)
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to sell something aggressively.
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to make extreme claims for something or someone.
verb
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(tr) to sell more of (a commodity) than can be supplied
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to use excessively aggressive methods in selling (commodities)
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(tr) to exaggerate the merits of
Etymology
Origin of oversell
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.
See Examples For:
“I’m not trying to oversell here, but there is a family office small-ticket size and as it gets filled there’s no more room,” Stevens said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2026
It’s also true that the egg-freezing industry has an incentive to overpromise and oversell.
From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026
“When we are nervous about getting a job we really want, we try to oversell ourselves,” West said.
From MarketWatch ● Jan. 23, 2026
You have to do the homework and absorb it and not oversell it, not undersell.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 18, 2023
But he’s funny as hell up there—sinking to his knees, grasping his head, moaning—and I don’t want to oversell it or anything, but this just may be the most iconic performance of all time.
From "Leah on the Offbeat" by Becky Albertalli
Ms. Low tacitly admits that the prevailing culture has been overselling the rewards of work—and playing down the importance of relationships, i.e., marriage and children, as a cornerstone of a woman’s happiness.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 11, 2025
It keeps well, travels well — and I swear I’m not overselling — it really is extraordinary.
From Salon ● Sep. 21, 2025
Connecticut Sun guard Dijonai Carrington, who early in the week seemed to mock Clark for overselling a foul call during their teams’ game, appeared to be one of them.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 14, 2024
Kimmelman worries potential overselling of trial benefits isn’t limited to cancer.
From Science Magazine ● May 22, 2024
Gray had set himself deliberately to the task of selling himself to this gentleman of the press, and, having succeeded, he was enough of a salesman to avoid the fatal error of overselling.
From Flowing Gold by Rex Ellingwood Beach
An administrative error resulted in coach journeys to the Glastonbury Festival being oversold through its official ticketing partner.
From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2026
The positive for the XLF is that it is currently oversold, with a relative strength index that has fallen to just 22, while its price has fallen to the lower Bollinger band.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 1, 2026
The RSI, a momentum measure, is seen as entering oversold territory when it falls below 30.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 1, 2026
Angrick said it was difficult to pinpoint why markets now seemed to be coming around to the view that the yen was oversold.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026
“Unfortunately, we’re oversold on this flight,” she says.
From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman
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