wholesale

American  

[hohl-seyl] / ˈhoʊlˌseɪl /

noun

1. the sale of goods in quantity, as to retailers or jobbers, for resale (retail ).

---

adjective

1. of, relating to, or engaged in sale by wholesale.

2. extensive; broadly indiscriminate.

   wholesale discharge of workers.

   Synonyms:

   promiscuous, undiscriminating, inclusive, thorough, comprehensive, far-reaching

adverb

1. in a wholesale way; on wholesale terms.

   I can get it for you wholesale.

2. in large quantities; on a large scale, especially without discrimination.

   Wild horses were slaughtered wholesale.

verb (used with or without object)

wholesaled, wholesaling

1. to sell by wholesale.

wholesale British  

/ ˈhəʊlˌseɪl /

noun

1. the business of selling goods to retailers in larger quantities than they are sold to final consumers but in smaller quantities than they are purchased from manufacturers Compare retail

2. 1. in large quantities

   2. at wholesale prices

---

adjective

1. of, relating to, or engaged in such business

2. made, done, etc, on a large scale or without discrimination

adverb

1. on a large scale or without discrimination

verb

1. to sell (goods) at wholesale

wholesale Cultural  

1. The sale of merchandise to retailers rather than directly to the public.

---

Other Word Forms

• wholesaler noun

Etymology

Origin of wholesale

1375–1425; late Middle English, from the phrase by hole sale in gross; whole, sale

Example Sentences

As she relates in this new and admirable work of social history, all sorts of elements—some well-intentioned, some cynically opportunistic—contributed to produce a wholesale reworking of the way America’s children approach their food.

From The Wall Street Journal

The Depository Trust & Clearing Corp. has framed the initiative as an incremental modernization of post-trade plumbing rather than a wholesale rewrite of market structure, with an initial rollout targeted for the second half of 2026.

From MarketWatch

The union has called for stronger protections similar to those in France, Italy, Spain and the UAE to shield heavy industry from high wholesale power costs.

From Barron's

The increase was driven by growth in the company’s retail and wholesale segments, partially offset by a decline for its Joybird brand.

From The Wall Street Journal

He sees improvement across the banking sector, supported by stable asset quality and credit growth, particularly in wholesale lending.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• extensive
• indiscriminate
• large-scale
• sweeping