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.
Democrats are fighting for fundamental rights such as legal due process, Ayers said, but that can be a hard sell when the people involved don’t have the public’s sympathy. Zac Anderson, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2025 At its heart, open banking would always be a hard sell. Ozan Ozerk, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2025 There is no doubt that Washington’s redlines will be a hard sell. Matias Spektor, Foreign Affairs, 1 Apr. 2025 Image Even so, after his death in 1961 at the age of 71, Kaufman was a hard sell for theatrical revivals. Barry Singer, New York Times, 14 Mar. 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 22 Apr. 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!