Outsell: Definition, Usage & Common Mistakes

Meaning 1：sell more than (outsell)

outsell 🔊

/ˌaʊtˈsel/

vt.

to sell more of something than something else.

Outsell concept illustrated by empty vs full product shelves in a store

sell more than 🔊

➕

/sel mɔːr ðæn/

vt.

To achieve higher sales figures or revenue than another product, competitor, or a previous version.

📁 Category：Social Economy 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

Prefix 'out-' (meaning 'beyond, more than') + verb 'sell' (to exchange for money).

💡 Mnemonic

Think: To go 'OUT' and 'SELL' more than anyone else. It's about exceeding sales targets.

📖 Example

The latest smartphone model has outsold its predecessor by a wide margin. 🔊 The newest version of the phone sold much better than the older one.

🔗 Collocations

outsell the competition – to sell more than rival companies or products

outsell expectations – to achieve sales higher than what was predicted

outsell a rival product – to have greater sales than a competing item

🔄 Synonyms

outsell (vt.) – the direct synonym in this context

outperform in sales (phrase) – to achieve better results in the area of sales

surpass in sales (phrase) – to go beyond in terms of sales numbers

🚫 Antonyms

undersell (vt.) – to sell less than; to sell at a lower price or volume

lag behind in sales (phrase) – to have poorer sales performance compared to others

🌱 Derivatives

outselling (v./n.) – the act of selling more than others; present participle

outsold (vt.) – past tense and past participle form

📖 Cultural Story

A common term in business competition, frequently used in market analysis, product launch reports, and earnings calls to indicate a product's superior market performance relative to its competitors or previous versions.