short sale
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of short sale
First recorded in 1865–70
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.
Plus, the homeowner may have to do a short sale, meaning they sell the home for less than what they owe on their mortgage with the lender’s approval.
From MarketWatch ● Feb. 9, 2026
The cost of borrowing the shares for a short sale is exorbitant, if an investor could find someone to lend them.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 27, 2026
The IRS previously required that brokers issue a 1099-B disclosing only when someone entered into a short sale and how big the position was, but not when they closed the short.
From Salon ● Mar. 17, 2023
If you’re at serious risk of a short sale and the market is still challenging, consider other options, such as renting the house out for a few years.
From Slate ● Nov. 21, 2022
It also can be applied to a short sale, when you give your broker instructions to buy in the stock for you if it goes up a certain number of points.
From Successful Stock Speculation by Butler, John James
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
