Word
sellout
Phoneticssell·out
US/ˈsɛˌɫaʊt/
UK/sˈɛlaʊt/
Definition
n. a person who betrays someone or something they were supposed to protect. It can also mean a person who is very popular and sells out of everything they offer.
n. a person who betrays a cause, organization, or individual for personal gain. In a commercial context, it refers to a performer or product that is so popular that all available tickets or stock are sold out.
Examples
“He was a total sellout who only cared about money.”
“The band's new album was a sellout, with every copy disappearing from the shelves within hours of release.”
“The politician was labeled a sellout by his former allies after he signed a controversial trade deal that benefited his private interests over the public good.”
Examples
simple
“He was a total sellout who only cared about money.”
contextual
“The band's new album was a sellout, with every copy disappearing from the shelves within hours of release.”
complex
“The politician was labeled a sellout by his former allies after he signed a controversial trade deal that benefited his private interests over the public good.”
Real-World Examples
“After a sellout eight-week run at Bristol Hippodrome earlier this year, the Disney musical will arrive at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, currently home to Disney’s Hercules.” Etymology
A deverbal from sell out.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/sellout