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Synonyms

salespeople

American  
[seylz-pee-puhl] / ˈseɪlzˌpi pəl /

plural noun

  1. people engaged in selling.


Usage

What does salespeople mean? Salespeople is a plural form of salesperson—a person whose job is to sell products or services. A less commonly used plural of salesperson is salespersons. Another term for salesperson is sales rep (or sales representative). The terms salesman and saleswoman are still commonly used, but salesperson and sales rep are often used in their place. Salespeople are often said to “work in sales”—in which sales refers to the type of occupation or the division or department within a company. Salespeople can sell directly to customers or to other businesses or organizations. Sometimes, salespeople sell things in person, such as at a retail store or dealership. They also commonly sell things over the phone or by communicating with people online. In the past, it was common for some salespeople to travel door-to-door to make sales to people at home. A salesperson who has to travel as part of their job can be called a traveling salesperson. The word salesperson is sometimes used in a somewhat figurative way to refer to someone who’s skilled at persuading people, especially in a business or professional setting, as if they are selling them a product. Example: Salespeople are known for their ability to start a conversation with anyone.

Etymology

Origin of salespeople

An Americanism dating back to 1875–80; sales + people

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:

Instead of measuring how many salespeople in a company use an AI Copilot, leadership should focus on identifying the agents and workflows that increase revenue per seller.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026

Do you have advice for your salespeople when they have demanding, difficult customers?

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026

“That last condition is the one most salespeople skip,” Judge said.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 16, 2026

But proceed with caution: Insurance salespeople may praise this strategy as a “Roth on steroids,” but there are downsides.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 3, 2026

The salespeople seemed friendlier there and didn't shout us down anytime we touched something.

From "March Forward, Girl" by Melba Pattillo Beals

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