hard sell

noun

: aggressive high-pressure salesmanship compare soft sell

Examples of hard sell in a Sentence

Such an expensive project will be a hard sell during these slow economic times.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But that’s a hard sell to people under the gun with career demands and deadlines. Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025 Crystal blue waters and overwater bungalows shouldn’t be a hard sell to your partner when discussing elopement destinations. Shelby Wax, Vogue, 24 June 2025 While there’s no shortage of fun things to do in Texas’ capital, The Loren at Lady Bird Lake makes a hard sell for staying in. Claudia Fisher, Travel + Leisure, 19 May 2025 Two potential options are Miles Wood, whose difficult season and four years left at $2.5 million each could be a hard sell for other clubs, or Ross Colton, who has two years left at $4 million per and a no-trade clause. Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 5 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for hard sell

Word History

First Known Use

1945, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hard sell was in 1945

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hard sell.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hard%20sell. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!