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
And he would oversell the ability he and I had.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 13, 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
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
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
An administrative error resulted in coach journeys to the Glastonbury Festival being oversold through its official ticketing partner.
From BBC ● Oct. 21, 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
Now they have worsened to the state that they are in deeply oversold territory, which might suggest a bounce may be needed before declines can resume.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 18, 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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