Synonyms

sell-off

American

[sel-awf, -of] / ˈsɛlˌɔf, -ˌɒf /

Sometimes selling-off

noun

Stock Exchange. a sudden and marked decline in stock or bond prices resulting from widespread selling.
an act or instance of liquidating assets or subsidiaries, as by divestiture.

sell off British

verb

(tr, adverb) to sell (remaining or unprofitable items), esp at low prices

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

sell off Idioms

Get rid of by selling, often at reduced prices. For example, The jeweler was eager to sell off the last of the diamond rings. [c. 1700] Also see sell out, def. 1.

Etymology

Origin of sell-off

First recorded in 1935–40; noun use of verb phrase sell off

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

That was highlighted this week by another Wall Street sell-off, despite Nvidia reporting quarterly profits more than doubled, projecting more strong growth for the coming period.

From Barron's

“The ongoing sell-off in software and financials largely assumes there will be no guardrails around AI,” a Jefferies team by Aniket Shah told clients in a note.

From MarketWatch

The remarks fanned geopolitical concerns and cast a pall over a tentative rebound in markets following an AI-fuelled sell-off earlier in the month.

From Barron's

Squali said that concerns about margins have been “the primary driver of the stock’s sell-off” since its 2025 third-quarter earnings report.

From Barron's

They call the recent worry and sell-off in Apple’s shares unwarranted, noting that AI monetization could add $75 to $100 a share to the Apple story over the coming few years.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023