What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
sell
Example
I need to sell my old car to make some money. [sell: verb]
Example
The salesman was able to sell me on the idea of buying the more expensive product. [sell: verb]
Example
She sold her business to a larger corporation. [sold: past tense]
retail
Example
The company specializes in retail sales of clothing and accessories. [retail: noun]
Example
We decided to retail our products online to reach a wider audience. [retail: verb]
Example
The retail price of the product is $50. [retail: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Sell is more commonly used than retail in everyday language. Sell is a versatile word that can be used in various contexts, while retail is more specific and often used in business or marketing contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between sell and retail?
While both sell and retail can be used in formal and informal contexts, retail is more commonly used in business or marketing settings and may be considered more formal than sell in those contexts.
