Standard Lemma guide

sellout

noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈsɛlˌaʊt/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: S EH1 L AW2 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

An action in which principles are compromised for personal gain.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, informal

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A person who sells out, who compromises their principles for financial gain or some other advantage.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, informal

Examples

  • The rock star used to be hardcore, but now he's just a sellout.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

The selling of an entire stock of something, especially tickets for an entertainment or sports event.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • I performed in front of a sellout crowd.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

an act of betrayal

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: treachery, betrayal, treason, perfidy

History

Etymology

A deverbal from sell out.

Across languages

Translations

18 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Hungarian: elárulás — an action in which principles are compromised for financial gain
  • Hungarian: árulás — an action in which principles are compromised for financial gain
  • Hungarian: becsapás — an action in which principles are compromised for financial gain
  • Hungarian: átverés — an action in which principles are compromised for financial gain
  • Arabic: مَأْجُوْرٌ (maʔjuwrun) — a person who compromises his or her principles
  • Catalan: venut — a person who compromises his or her principles
  • French: vendu — a person who compromises his or her principles
  • Hungarian: haszonleső — a person who compromises his or her principles
  • Hungarian: érdekhajhász — a person who compromises his or her principles
  • Hungarian: pénzsóvár — a person who compromises his or her principles
  • Polish: sprzedawczyk — a person who compromises his or her principles
  • Portuguese: vendido — a person who compromises his or her principles
  • Russian: прода́жный челове́к (prodážnyj čelovék) — a person who compromises his or her principles
  • Russian: прода́жная душа́ (prodážnaja dušá) — a person who compromises his or her principles
  • Serbo-Croatian: prodana duša — a person who compromises his or her principles
  • Spanish: vendido — a person who compromises his or her principles
  • Urdu: بِکاؤُ (bikā'ū) — a person who compromises his or her principles
  • Hungarian: telt ház — the selling of an entire stock of something, especially tickets for an entertainment or sports event