sell off

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

To sell assets for the purpose of disposing of them quickly rather than for maximizing profit.

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

When Cyril goes searching for his deadbeat father, he’s also looking for his bike, and he’s devastated to discover his dad sold it off to make ends meet.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “sell off” mean?

To sell assets for the purpose of disposing of them quickly rather than for maximizing profit.

Is “sell off” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.