Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

salesmanship

American  
[saylz-muhn-ship] / ˈseɪlz mənˌʃɪp /

noun

  1. the technique of selling a product.

    They used a promotional gimmick that was the last word in salesmanship.

  2. adeptness at creating interest in new ideas, products, methods, etc..

    The only ingredient lacking in the system was salesmanship.


salesmanship British  
/ ˈseɪlzmənʃɪp /

noun

  1. the technique, skill, or ability of selling

  2. the work of a salesman

"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

Etymology

Origin of salesmanship

1875–80; salesman + -ship; cf. -manship

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:

New issues have special salesmanship behind them, which calls therefore for a special degree of sales resistance.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 23, 2026

He laid out his approach in a salesmanship blog he wrote in 2016: Persuade people your product can save lives and government money, and identify influential politicians to be your advocate.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 23, 2026

In 1987, inspired by the salesmanship of the televangelists, Renker and his friend Bill Guthy saw an opportunity of their own.

From Slate ● Feb. 21, 2025

If Hunt’s hiring of Reid underscored his salesmanship and business acumen, Lurie’s decision highlighted his keen eye for talent and willingness to take a gamble.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 5, 2023

After twelve months at Head Office, we trainees were all sent away to various Shell branches in England to study salesmanship.

From "Boy: Tales of a Childhood" by Roald Dahl

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember new words for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com