sell out

British  

verb

1. Also (chiefly Brit): sell up.  to dispose of (supplies of something) completely by selling

2. informal (tr) to betray, esp through a secret agreement

3. informal (intr) to abandon one's principles, standards, etc

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noun

1. informal a performance for which all tickets are sold

2. a commercial success

3. informal a betrayal

4. informal a person who betrays their principles, standards, friends, etc

sell out Idioms  

1. Dispose of entirely by selling. For example, The rancher finally sold out to the oil company , or The tickets to the concert were sold out a month ago . [Late 1700s]

2. Betray one's cause or colleagues, as in He sold out to the other side . [ Slang ; late 1800s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sell out

While fans have clamored for tickets, many were disappointed and frustrated with high prices and limited availability that seemed to sell out almost instantaneously.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026

I would definitely not sell out of long-term, multiyear positions because of projections of a pullback that may not happen.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026

It gets crowded by 10 a.m., so go early to score some peach-glazed doughnuts from GB&D before they sell out.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2026

However, you need to be organised as tickets tend to sell out quickly, Medina says.

From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026

“He would think it was like quitting. He’d feel it was a cowardice. No, he will never sell out, and if he did I don’t think he would live a week.”

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck