sale
sale — noun
1. a situation in which someone gives a product or service to another person in exc
a situation in which someone gives a product or service to another person in exchange for money
Christopher completed the sale of his old car last Thursday afternoon.
the sale of [something]
Putri made her first sale at the weekend market on Saturday morning.
make a sale
The agent handled the sale of the apartment near the park.
Each sale of a handmade bag helps Anjali's small business grow.
- make a sale
- the sale of [something]
- complete a sale
- a cash sale
- transaction
more formal, often used in business or legal contexts
- deal
more informal, can refer to any business arrangement
- purchase
views the exchange from the buyer's side rather than the seller's
- purchase
same transaction but from the buyer's perspective
Grammar Patterns
a/the sale of [something]
make a sale
Usage Note
Countable — you can say 'a sale' or 'the sale'. Frequently used with 'of' to specify what is sold.
Common Mistakes
2. used when a product, house, or other item is being offered so that people can bu
used when a product, house, or other item is being offered so that people can buy it
The house on Elm Street has been for sale for nearly six months.
be for sale
Asher put his mountain bike up for sale after buying a new one.
put [something] up for sale
Is this painting for sale, or is it just part of the exhibition?
A sign on the building says all the shop furniture is for sale.
- be for sale
- put up for sale
- come up for sale
- for sale sign
- available
broader meaning — not limited to purchase contexts
- on the market
common for houses and property; slightly less direct
- sold
no longer available to buy
- not available
general opposite of availability
Grammar Patterns
[be] for sale
put [something] up for sale
Usage Note
Used as a fixed adjectival phrase after 'be' verbs. 'For sale' indicates availability for purchase, whereas 'on sale' means being offered at a reduced price.
Common Mistakes
3. the job of convincing people to become customers and pay for what a business off
the job of convincing people to become customers and pay for what a business offers, or the group within a company that handles this job
Selim works in sales for a large technology company based in Taipei.
work in sales
The sales team at Jude's company exceeded their target for the quarter.
sales team
Anong applied for a job in sales after finishing her business degree.
The company hired five new people for its sales department.
sales department
- sales department
- sales team
- work in sales
- a career in sales
- marketing
related but broader — includes advertising, branding, and market research
- selling
more direct and informal; focuses on the act rather than the profession
- business development
more formal, often focuses on long-term growth
Grammar Patterns
work in sales
a sales team/department
Usage Note
Uncountable when referring to the activity ('Sales is a challenging career'); the department can take a singular or plural verb depending on British or American usage.
Common Mistakes
4. the amount or quantity of a particular product that has been bought by customers
the amount or quantity of a particular product that has been bought by customers during a period of time
Sales of electric cars increased sharply in Taiwan this year.
sales of [something]
The company reported strong sales for its newest smartphone model.
Ice cream sales rise during the hot summer months in Kaohsiung.
[something] sales
Book sales dropped sharply after the local bookstore closed down.
- sales of [something]
- strong / weak sales
- a rise / drop in sales
- sales figures
Grammar Patterns
sales of [something]
[something] sales
Usage Note
Always plural ('sales'). Used with a plural verb. Often modified by adjectives like 'strong', 'weak', 'rising', or 'falling'.
Common Mistakes
5. an event where items are sold to collect money for a particular purpose, such as
an event where items are sold to collect money for a particular purpose, such as helping a school or a charity
Our neighbourhood held a bake sale to raise money for the school library.
hold a bake sale
The church organised a charity sale to help families in need.
charity sale
Anjali's family set up a weekend garage sale to pay for her tuition.
garage sale
The school's book sale raised enough money for new computers.
book sale
- bake sale
- garage sale
- charity sale
- hold a sale
- book sale
- fundraiser
broader term — can include events other than selling items
- charity event
any event held for charitable purposes, not necessarily involving sales
Grammar Patterns
a [type] sale
hold a sale
Usage Note
Countable — 'a sale' or 'the sale'. Often combined with a prefix describing the type of items or purpose, such as 'bake sale', 'garage sale', 'book sale', or 'charity sale'.
Common Mistakes
6. a public event where items are sold to the person who offers the highest amount
a public event where items are sold to the person who offers the highest amount of money for them
Christopher bought an antique clock at an auction in the city centre.
at an auction
The auction of rare coins attracted collectors from all over Asia.
the auction of [something]
Putri's paintings will go to auction next month at a gallery in Taichung.
go to auction
Bidders at the auction raised their hands to offer higher prices.
- at auction
- go to auction
- sale by auction
- put up for auction
- auction house
- auction
more precise and internationally understood synonym
- public sale
emphasises that anyone can participate
Grammar Patterns
at an auction
a sale by auction
go to auction
Usage Note
Countable. In British English, 'sale' alone can mean 'auction'. In American English, 'auction' is more clearly distinguished from other types of sale. Often used in the phrase 'sale by auction'.
Common Mistakes
7. A product is on sale when a shop has it in its store and customers are able to p
A product is on sale when a shop has it in its store and customers are able to purchase it there.
The new video game console goes on sale next Friday across the country.
go on sale + time reference
Ayana checked three different shops, but the winter coat was not on sale yet.
on sale (available) in a shop context
Tickets for the charity concert will go on sale at nine o'clock tomorrow morning.
The latest smartphone model is now on sale at every major electronics store.
- go on sale
- be on sale
- on sale at [store]
- on sale from [date]
- unavailable
general opposite; 'sold out' is more specific for shops
- sold out
means the shop has no more of the product at all
Usage Note
Frequently used in the fixed expressions 'on sale' and 'go on sale'. British English only — American English uses 'go on sale' also for sense 10 (discounted); context clarifies which meaning is intended. Often followed by a time or location reference.
8. A business arrangement in which a shop can order goods and send back any items i
A business arrangement in which a shop can order goods and send back any items it does not sell, without having to pay for them.
The bookshop agreed to take the new magazines on a sale-or-return basis from the publisher.
sale-or-return basis
Smaller clothing shops prefer sale-or-return agreements because they reduce financial risk.
Rafael bought the unsold copies back because the contract was sale or return.
contract was sale or return
The gift shop received a box of ceramic mugs on a sale-or-return arrangement from the supplier.
- on sale or return
- sale-or-return basis
- sale-or-return agreement
- consignment
broader concept — sale or return is one type of consignment arrangement
Usage Note
Used mainly in publishing, fashion, and wholesale trade. The phrase is typically hyphenated as an adjective ('sale-or-return agreement') and unhyphenated as a noun phrase ('on sale or return').
Common Mistakes
9. A period of time when a shop sells goods at lower prices than usual, often to cl
A period of time when a shop sells goods at lower prices than usual, often to clear old stock.
The department store has a big summer sale with up to fifty percent off everything.
summer sale + percentage off
Putri bought her winter coat in the January sales at almost half the original price.
the January sales
Check the electronics shop's sale section — they often have good offers on laptops.
Hana found a designer handbag during a clearance sale at the mall last weekend.
clearance sale
- summer sale
- January sales
- clearance sale
- sale price
- in the sale
- clearance
specifically a sale to clear old or unwanted stock, often with deeper discounts
- bargain event
informal term for any sales period
Usage Note
In British English, 'the sales' (plural) often refers to major seasonal discount periods such as the January sales or summer sales. 'Sale' (singular) can refer to any individual discount event at a shop.
Common Mistakes
10. Available at a lower price than the normal price, usually for a limited time.
Available at a lower price than the normal price, usually for a limited time.
All kitchen appliances are on sale this week at the supermarket near my house.
on sale + limited time period
Ilan bought a new laptop on sale for almost half the normal retail price.
The furniture store has these sofas on sale until Sunday — do not wait too long.
on sale until [date]
Élise found the perfect pair of boots on sale at an online shoe store yesterday.
- on sale
- go on sale
- on sale now
- on sale this week
- discounted
more general term; 'on sale' specifically implies a temporary promotion
- reduced
more neutral, not necessarily time-limited
- full price
the normal price without any discount
Usage Note
This is the American English meaning of 'on sale'. In British English, the same idea is usually expressed as 'in the sale' (sense 9) or 'reduced'. To say an item is discounted, American speakers say 'it is on sale'; British speakers say 'it is in the sale' or 'it has been reduced'.
Common Mistakes
❌ 'The coat is on sale.' (meaning discounted, in British English) — A British speaker might misunderstand this as 'the coat is available for purchase'. In British English, use 'in the sale' instead.
(up) for sale
idiomAvailable to be purchased, often directly from the person who owns it.
The old bicycle in the garage is for sale.
Have you put your car up for sale yet?
on sale
idiomAvailable to be bought in a store or from a seller.
The new video game goes on sale next Friday.
Are these fresh strawberries on sale today?
(on) sale or return
idiomSupplied with the condition that unsold items can be returned without payment.
The bookstore received the magazines on sale or return.
Our shop only accepts new products on a sale or return basis.
sale — idiom
1. a city and port on the Atlantic coast of northwestern Morocco, situated where th
a city and port on the Atlantic coast of northwestern Morocco, situated where the Bou Regreg River meets the ocean, directly across from the capital city Rabat.
The ferry from Rabat crosses the river and reaches Sale in under ten minutes.
place name used with direction preposition 'from/to'
Omar's family runs a textile business in Sale, just north of the Moroccan capital.
place name as the object of preposition 'in'
Lakan moved to Sale last year to study at the university there.
place name as destination with 'moved to'
The train from Casablanca stops at both Rabat and Sale stations.
place name in compound noun 'Sale stations'
Visitors often cross the river to explore the old city of Sale.
place name as part of 'the old city of Sale'
Usage Note
This is a proper noun — the name of a specific city. It is not related to the common noun 'sale' (an exchange of goods for money). Capitalise the first letter when writing about the city: 'Sale'.
Word family
- sellverbA1
- sellernounB1
- unsoldadjectiveB1
- salespersonnounB1
- salesmannounB1
- salesclerknounB1
- saleswomannounB1
- resellverbB2
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
On sale and for sale look similar but mean different things. For sale (sense 2) simply means something is available to buy: "that bike is for sale." On sale can mean either "available in shops" (British English, sense 7: "the new album goes on sale Friday") or "being offered at a reduced price" (American English, sense 10: "I got these shoes on sale"). A clearance is a specific type of sale where a shop deeply discounts old or leftover stock to clear shelf space — often called a clearance sale. Markdown is the amount taken off the regular price ("a 30% markdown"), not the event itself. Sale as an act ("the sale of the house") contrasts with purchase, which views the same transaction from the buyer's side. Meanwhile, sales (the department or profession) and marketing are related but distinct: sales focuses on directly persuading customers to buy, while marketing covers broader activities like advertising, branding, and market research that help create demand in the first place.
Common collocations
Nouns
- sale price
- sale items
- sale proceeds
- sale agreement
- sale contract
Phrases
- point of sale (POS)
- terms of sale
- bill of sale
- conditions of sale
- sale or return
Prepositions
Etymology
Sale comes from Old English sala, meaning "a giving, a delivering." In early medieval times, the word shifted from the general sense of handing something over to the specific commercial sense of exchanging goods for money — the same root that produced the verb sell (from Old English sellan "to give, hand over"). The meaning "a period when goods are sold at reduced prices" first appeared in the mid-19th century.