# sell down

CEFR C1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/sell-down
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

To sell part of something you own, like company shares or store products, to reduce the total amount you have.

For teachers: To reduce a holding, position, or inventory level by selling a portion of the total assets. This phrasal verb is primarily used in financial and retail contexts.

## Examples

- The store needs to sell down its summer stock before autumn arrives.
- The venture capital firm decided to sell down its stake in the startup after the initial public offering.
- As market conditions deteriorated, the hedge fund began to sell down its more volatile positions to increase its cash reserves and mitigate potential losses.

## Pitfalls

- Not "They sold down their entire collection of vintage cars." but "They sold off their entire collection of vintage cars." — 'Sell down' implies that a portion of the collection is kept, whereas 'sold off' or 'liquidated' indicates a total sale.

## Usage notes

- Commonly used with objects like 'stake', 'holding', 'position', or 'stock'.
- Teaching tip: Contrast with 'sell out' (selling everything) to highlight that 'sell down' implies a partial reduction rather than a total exit.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.