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:
It’s also true that the egg-freezing industry has an incentive to overpromise and oversell.
From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026
At one point, in 2015, as she was crafting her pitch, Epstein urged her: “dont oversell it, it will kill it.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 15, 2026
“When we are nervous about getting a job we really want, we try to oversell ourselves,” West said.
From MarketWatch ● Jan. 23, 2026
I don't want to oversell this because my daughter still loves French fries, but now she knows that in order to get those normal fries you're going to have to enjoy some green ones first.
From Salon ● Apr. 9, 2024
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
“I believe that is grossly overselling what one should expect from those workouts,” said Cedric X. Bryant, CEO of the American Council on Exercise.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 1, 2026
It keeps well, travels well — and I swear I’m not overselling — it really is extraordinary.
From Salon ● Sep. 21, 2025
Kimmelman worries potential overselling of trial benefits isn’t limited to cancer.
From Science Magazine ● May 22, 2024
“Love Lies Bleeding” isn’t on par with Cain or Thompson, and overselling a comparison would be silly.
From New York Times ● Mar. 7, 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
Gate agents now start making announcements earlier when a flight is oversold, including explaining why and mentioning compensation options right away for volunteering to take a later flight.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
Yields surged in the third quarter, and some investors considered Treasurys to be oversold heading into Friday’s session.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026
The RSI, a momentum measure, is seen as entering oversold territory when it falls below 30.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 1, 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
“Unfortunately, we’re oversold on this flight,” she says.
From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman
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