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.
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 Other defense founders have warned that the nature of the procurement process for militaries has made software a hard sell. Iain Martin, Forbes, 5 Dec. 2024 The company has tried pivoting to a subscription model, but that has proven to be a hard sell. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 26 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 15 Apr. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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