undersell

American  

[uhn-der-sel] / ˌʌn dərˈsɛl /

verb (used with object)

undersold, underselling

1. to sell more cheaply than.

2. to advertise with restraint; understate the merits of (something).

   By underselling his product, he let his hearers convince themselves of its importance.

3. to sell for less than the actual value.

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undersell British  

/ ˌʌndəˈsɛl /

verb

1. to sell for less than the usual or expected price

2. (tr) to sell at a price lower than that of (another seller)

3. (tr) to advertise (merchandise) with moderation or restraint

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Other Word Forms

• underseller noun

Etymology

Origin of undersell

First recorded in 1615–25; under- + sell ¹

Example Sentences

“He’s finding out how much we’re charging so he can undersell us!”

From Literature

After this uncharacteristic foray into newsiness, Mulaney doubled down on his self-deprecating style of underselling his series “Everybody’s Live,” which will air live weekly starting March 12 for 12 weeks.

From Salon

One former staffer recalled how Warsh, a Fed governor in his own right, would introduce himself to lawmakers as an aide to Bernanke, vastly underselling his role.

From The Wall Street Journal

“I can’t undersell what a major win that is to protect the records of all these patients.”

From Los Angeles Times

But even that eye-popping number undersells just how efficient he was, as he prepares to face the San Francisco 49ers for a spot in the NFC Championship game.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• deduct
• diminish
• knock off
• mark down
• modify