Meaning & use
close out sale
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountablebusiness
a sale in which a store sells all its remaining goods, usually at low prices, before closing
Grammar: Countable: a close out sale, two close out sales.
Patterns
- have a close out sale
- hold a close out sale
- at a close out sale
The bookstore is having a close out sale before it moves.
I bought this desk at a close out sale for half price.
Word forms
| plural | close out sales |
|---|
Common combinations
- have a close out sale
- The shop will have a close out sale next weekend.
- close out sale prices
- Everything is marked down to close out sale prices.
- going out of business close out sale
- They advertised a going out of business close out sale.
Synonyms and how they differ
- clearance sale
- A clearance sale sells off stock, often to make room for new items; a close out sale usually means the store is closing.
- liquidation sale
- A liquidation sale sells all assets to pay debts; close out sale is less formal and often just means selling remaining stock.
Word family
- closeout noun
- the sale itself, or an item sold in such a sale
Commonly confused: close out sale or closeout?
close out sale vs closeout
Closeout is the one-word form, often used as a noun or adjective; close out sale is the two-word phrase for the event.
Practice
What is a close out sale?
Choose one answer.
A close out sale is about selling off all stock, usually because the store is closing. Option 0 is the opposite, option 2 is too specific, and option 3 is not part of the meaning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “close out sale”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.