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
Currently, a short seller must put 150% of the value of a short sale in a margin account, which includes the price of the sale and an additional 50% of the value.
From Barron's • Jan. 23, 2026
You risk a short sale, which is when you sell the house for less than what you owe on the mortgage note, depending on how much you put down and how much prices have dropped.
From Slate • Nov. 21, 2022
The "short" man was himself, therefore, "long" stocks he had bought to cover his "short" sale.
From Friday, the Thirteenth by Lawson, Thomas William
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.
