sell-by date

[ sel-bahy ]

noun

1. the last date on which perishable food should be sold, usually established with some allowance for home storage under refrigeration. Compare shelf life.

sell-by date

noun

1. a date printed on the packaging of perishable goods, indicating the date after which the goods should not be offered for sale
2. past one's sell-by date informal.
   beyond one's prime

Word History and Origins

Origin of sell-by date¹

First recorded in 1970–75

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. past one's / its sell-by date, Informal. past one's or its prime; past the period of greatest vigor, success, etc.:

   an aging actress, well past her sell-by date.

Example Sentences

If you don’t get it by the sell-by date, it’s no good to the consumer.

From Quartz

Our collective yearning for tenderness and connection has no sell-by date, certainly not in a pandemic.

From Time

Item 10 “Taxable refunds”… $1.98 at Safeway for a half gallon of milk that was past its sell-by date.

From The Daily Beast

This year the event felt tired and past its sell-by date; too much buck without enough bang.

From The Daily Beast