telemarketing
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of telemarketing
Explanation
While many people may simply define telemarketing as annoying, it’s actually the practice of companies calling to promote or sell products and services over the phone — often just when you’re about to sit down for dinner. The word telemarketing combines the prefix tele-, meaning "distant," with the word marketing, to describe the practice of selling products or services over the phone. Telemarketers reach out to potential customers, offering deals, promotions, or information about new products, often during the most inconvenient times. While some find it annoying, telemarketing has been a common sales tactic since the 20th century, allowing businesses to connect directly with consumers.
Vocabulary lists containing telemarketing
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.
According to a 2025 parliamentary report, 97% of people are annoyed by telemarketing calls, with the authors wryly noting it is "one of those rare issues that unites people in France".
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
Among them are memorandums of understanding with the Federal Trade Commission, giving prosecutors access to consumer-complaint data relevant to telemarketing and telemedicine scams.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 23, 2026
Meanwhile, telemarketing and spam phone calls have reached epidemic levels: Americans are bombarded with robocalls — roughly 4 billion to 5 billion every month — despite decades of regulation.
From MarketWatch ● May 11, 2026
He tried telemarketing for a while in Las Vegas.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 16, 2025
Consumer complaints about prerecorded robocall scams and unwanted live telemarketing calls targeting seniors have fallen to a five-year low, with major drops the last year, according to federal data released Friday.
From Washington Times ● Nov. 3, 2023
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.
