profit taking

American  

noun

Stock Exchange.

1. the selling of securities that have risen in price above costs; selling in order to realize a profit.

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profit taking British  

noun

1. selling commodities, securities, etc, at a profit after a rise in market values or before an expected fall in values

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Etymology

Origin of profit taking

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

profit taking

Yet these shares still are up threefold and fivefold respectively over the last year, leading many to conclude that some caution and profit taking after such massive gains was inevitable – and indeed healthy.

From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026

Should profit taking begin, a sharp pullback would be in the cards as extreme call demand unwinds, says SpotGamma.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 1, 2026

“This raises the risk of profit taking or mean reversion in both gold and silver over the near term,” he says.

From MarketWatch ● Jan. 29, 2026

Michael Hewson at CMC Markets said the "surge in valuations has... prompted fears of a bubble in the sector with some wild swings in recent weeks on the back of some end-of-year profit taking".

From Barron's ● Dec. 18, 2025

So he schooled himself to be patient, and put in his time to good profit taking the measures of his shipmates and learning his way about ship.

From Alias the Lone Wolf by Louis Joseph Vance