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Sell vs. Sale: Know the Difference

Shumaila Saeed
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
Sell is a verb meaning to exchange a product or service for money, whereas sale is a noun referring to the act of selling or a special offering of goods at reduced prices.
Sell vs. Sale

Key Differences

Sell functions as a verb, indicating the action of giving something in exchange for money. Sale, as a noun, refers to the event or process where items are sold, often at a discounted price.
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Nov 17, 2023
Sell is used when discussing the act of transferring ownership of goods or services. Sale is typically used to denote the event or instance of selling, especially when goods are offered at reduced prices.
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Nov 17, 2023
The ability to sell effectively is key to business success, focusing on the transaction and persuasion. A sale, however, often implies a special offer, attracting customers with lower prices or special deals.
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Nov 17, 2023
When a businessperson says, "We need to sell more products," they focus on the action of selling. When they announce, "We have a sale on electronics," they refer to a special event or period with discounted prices.
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Nov 17, 2023
The strategy to sell involves understanding customer needs and effectively marketing the product. In contrast, a sale is a marketing tactic used to boost short-term revenue, clear stock, or attract new customers.
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Nov 17, 2023
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Comparison Chart

Part of Speech

Verb
Noun
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Nov 17, 2023

Purpose

To exchange goods or services for money.
The event of selling goods, often at discounts.
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Nov 17, 2023

Usage in Sentence

"She wants to sell her car."
"The store is having a big sale."
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Business Strategy

Focused on customer persuasion and transaction.
Often involves discounted pricing or special offers.
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Nov 17, 2023

Marketing Context

Essential for ongoing business success.
Used as a tactic for promotions and attracting customers.
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Sell and Sale Definitions

Sell

Sell means to exchange something for money.
He plans to sell his old guitar.
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Nov 13, 2023

Sale

Sale refers to the event of selling something.
The sale of the house was completed yesterday.
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Nov 13, 2023

Sell

Sell is a commercial activity of offering goods or services.
They sell clothing and accessories.
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Nov 13, 2023

Sale

Sale is an act of generating revenue through transactions.
The annual sale contributes significantly to their revenue.
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Nov 13, 2023

Sell

Sell is the act of achieving sales in business.
Our goal is to sell 100 units this month.
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Nov 13, 2023
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Sale

Sale often refers to a retail event with special prices.
Black Friday is known for its big sales.
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Nov 13, 2023

Sell

To exchange or deliver for money or its equivalent
We sold our old car for a modest sum.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sale

The exchange of goods or services for an amount of money or its equivalent; the act of selling
The sale of such a nice house should be easy.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sell

To offer or have available for sale
The store sells health foods.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sale

A selling of property to the highest bidder; an auction.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sell

To give up or surrender in exchange for a price or reward
Sell one's soul to the devil.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sale

An offer or arrangement in which goods are sold at a discount
The store has a sale on winter coats.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sell

To be purchased in (a certain quantity); achieve sales of
A book that sold a million copies.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sale

The business or activity of selling goods or services
She works in sales.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sell

To bring about or encourage sales of; promote
Good publicity sold the product.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sale

The number of items sold or the amount of money received for a number of items sold
Sales are better than expected.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sell

To cause to be accepted; advocate successfully
We sold the proposal to the school committee.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sale

An exchange of goods or services for currency or credit.
He celebrated after the sale of company.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sell

To persuade (another) to recognize the worth or desirability of something
They sold me on the idea.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sale

Short for discount sale The sale of goods at reduced prices.
They are having a clearance sale: 50% off.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sell

To exchange ownership for money or its equivalent; engage in selling
Are any of the fruit vendors still selling?.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sale

The act of putting up for auction to the highest bidder.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sell

To be sold or be on sale
Grapes are selling high this season.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sale

(obsolete) A hall.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sell

To attract prospective buyers; be popular on the market
An item that doesn't sell.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sale

See 1st Sallow.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sell

To be approved of; gain acceptance
An idea that just wouldn't sell.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sale

The act of selling; the transfer of property, or a contract to transfer the ownership of property, from one person to another for a valuable consideration, or for a price in money.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sell

An act or instance of selling
Ordered a sell of his shares in the company.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sale

Opportunity of selling; demand; market.
They shall have ready sale for them.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sell

Something that sells or gains acceptance in a particular way
Their program to raise taxes will be a difficult sell.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sale

Public disposal to the highest bidder, or exposure of goods in market; auction.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sell

(Slang) A deception; a hoax.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sale

The general activity of selling;
They tried to boost sales
Laws limit the sale of handguns
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Oct 19, 2023

Sell

To transfer goods or provide services in exchange for money.
I'll sell you three books for a hundred dollars.
Sorry, I'm not prepared to sell.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sale

A particular instance of selling;
He has just made his first sale
They had to complete the sale before the banks closed
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Oct 19, 2023

Sell

(ergative) To be sold.
This old stock will never sell.
The corn sold for a good price.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sale

The state of being purchasable; offered or exhibited for selling;
You'll find vitamin C for sale at most pharmacies
The new line of cars will soon be on sale
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Oct 19, 2023

Sell

To promote a product or service.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sale

An occasion (usually brief) for buying at specially reduced prices;
They held a sale to reduce their inventory
I got some great bargains at their annual sale
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Oct 19, 2023

Sell

To promote a particular viewpoint.
My boss is very old-fashioned and I'm having a lot of trouble selling the idea of working at home occasionally.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sale

An agreement (or contract) in which property is transferred from the seller (vendor) to the buyer (vendee) for a fixed price in money (paid or agreed to be paid by the buyer);
The salesman faxed the sales agreement to his home office
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Oct 19, 2023

Sell

To betray for money or other things.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sale

Sale means a period when goods are sold at reduced prices.
They're having a clearance sale this weekend.
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Nov 13, 2023

Sell

(slang) To trick, cheat, or manipulate someone.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sale

Sale is a commercial offer to sell goods or services.
The shop has a special sale on winter clothing.
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Nov 13, 2023

Sell

To pretend that an opponent's blows or maneuvers are causing legitimate injury; to act.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sell

To work as a prostitute.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sell

An act of selling; sale.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sell

The promotion of an idea for acceptance.
This is going to be a tough sell.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sell

An easy task.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sell

An imposition, a cheat; a hoax; a disappointment; anything occasioning a loss of pride or dignity.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sell

(obsolete) A seat or stool.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sell

(archaic) A saddle.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sell

A rope (usually for tying up cattle, but can also mean any sort of rope).
He picked up the sell from the straw-strewn barn-floor, snelly sneaked up behind her and sleekly slung it around her swire while scryingː "dee, dee ye fooking quhoreǃ".
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Oct 19, 2023

Sell

Self.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sell

A sill.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sell

A cell; a house.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sell

A saddle for a horse.
He left his lofty steed with golden self.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sell

A throne or lofty seat.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sell

An imposition; a cheat; a hoax.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sell

To transfer to another for an equivalent; to give up for a valuable consideration; to dispose of in return for something, especially for money. It is the correlative of buy.
If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor.
I am changed; I'll go sell all my land.
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Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023

Sell

To make a matter of bargain and sale of; to accept a price or reward for, as for a breach of duty, trust, or the like; to betray.
You would have sold your king to slaughter.
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Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023

Sell

To impose upon; to trick; to deceive; to make a fool of; to cheat.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sell

To practice selling commodities.
I will buy with you, sell with you; . . . but I will not eat with you.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sell

To be sold; as, corn sells at a good price.
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Oct 19, 2023

Sell

The activity of persuading someone to buy;
It was a hard sell
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Oct 19, 2023

Sell

Exchange or deliver for money or its equivalent;
He sold his house in January
She sells her body to survive and support her drug habit
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Oct 19, 2023

Sell

Be sold at a certain price or in a certain way;
These books sell like hot cakes
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Oct 19, 2023

Sell

Do business; offer for sale as for one's livelihood;
She deals in gold
The brothers sell shoes
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Oct 19, 2023

Sell

Persuade somebody to accept something;
The French try to sell us their image as great lovers
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Oct 19, 2023

Sell

Give up for a price or reward;
She sold her principles for a successful career
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Oct 19, 2023

Sell

Deliver to an enemy by treachery;
Judas sold Jesus
The spy betrayed his country
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Oct 19, 2023

Sell

Be approved of or gain acceptance;
The new idea sold well in certain circles
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Oct 19, 2023

Sell

Be responsible for the sale of;
All her publicity sold the products
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Oct 19, 2023

Sell

Sell involves convincing someone to buy something.
She can sell anything to anyone.
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Nov 13, 2023

Sell

Sell means to transfer ownership for a price.
He sold his car last week.
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Nov 13, 2023

Repeatedly Asked Queries

Is 'sell' always about making a profit?

Not necessarily, 'sell' simply means exchanging something for money.
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Nov 17, 2023

What does 'sale' imply in marketing?

It implies a special event to boost purchases.
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Nov 17, 2023

Can an individual 'sell' their skills?

Yes, in the context of job markets and freelancing.
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Nov 17, 2023

Can 'sale' refer to selling services?

Yes, 'sale' can refer to the offering of services, though it's more common with goods.
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Nov 17, 2023

What's the opposite of "sell"?

The opposite of "sell" is "buy" or "purchase," which involves acquiring items in exchange for money.
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Nov 17, 2023

Can 'sell' be used metaphorically?

Yes, like in "selling an idea."
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Nov 17, 2023

Can "sell" refer to intangible items or services?

Yes, "sell" can refer to the exchange of services or digital products, not just physical goods.
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Nov 17, 2023

Does 'sell' have different forms?

Yes, 'sell' has different tense forms like 'sold' and 'selling.'
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Nov 17, 2023

Are all sales at discounted prices?

Often, but not always. 'Sale' can refer to regular transactions as well.
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Nov 17, 2023

Does 'sale' always mean lower prices?

Typically, but it can also mean a special offer regardless of price.
Shumaila Saeed
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 17, 2023

Can "sell" be used metaphorically?

Yes, "sell" can be used metaphorically, such as "selling an idea" or "selling oneself."
Shumaila Saeed
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 17, 2023

What are some synonyms for "sell"?

Synonyms for "sell" include "vend," "market," "peddle," and "trade."
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Shumaila Saeed
Nov 17, 2023

Can "sale" also refer to the transfer of property or assets?

Yes, "sale" can refer to the act of selling real estate, vehicles, or other assets.
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Shumaila Saeed
Nov 17, 2023

Are "sales" and "revenue" the same thing?

No, "sales" typically refer to the total amount generated from selling goods or services, while "revenue" includes all income sources.
Shumaila Saeed
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 17, 2023

Is 'sell' used in legal contexts?

Yes, in terms like 'sell a property.'
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Shumaila Saeed
Nov 17, 2023

What is a "fire sale"?

A "fire sale" is a situation where goods or assets are sold quickly at significantly reduced prices, often due to urgent circumstances.
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Shumaila Saeed
Nov 17, 2023

What's the relationship between "sell" and "sale"?

"Sell" is the action of exchanging goods for value, while "sale" is the event or process of selling. They are closely related but have different grammatical functions.
Shumaila Saeed
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 17, 2023

Are there different types of selling, such as retail and wholesale?

Yes, "retail" selling involves selling directly to consumers, while "wholesale" selling involves selling in bulk to other businesses.
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Shumaila Saeed
Nov 17, 2023

What does "clearance sale" mean?

A "clearance sale" is an event where merchandise is sold at reduced prices to clear out old or excess inventory.
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Nov 17, 2023

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Shumaila Saeed
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Shumaila Saeed
Shumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.

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