Meaning & use
dealer
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable
A person or company that buys and sells a particular type of product.
Grammar: Countable: a dealer, several dealers. Often used with a type of goods: a car dealer, an art dealer.
Patterns
- a car dealer
- an art dealer
- a dealer in something
She bought her car from a local dealer.
The art dealer sold the painting to a museum.
He is a dealer in rare books.
nouncountable
The person who gives out cards to the players in a card game.
Grammar: Countable: the dealer, the next dealer. Often used with the definite article.
Patterns
- the dealer
- act as dealer
The dealer shuffled the cards and began to deal.
It's your turn to be the dealer.
nouncountabledisapproving
Someone who sells illegal drugs.
Grammar: Countable; usually disapproving. Often used with 'drug': a drug dealer.
Patterns
- a drug dealer
- arrest a dealer
The police arrested a drug dealer near the school.
He was known as a dealer in the neighborhood.
Word forms
| plural | dealers |
|---|
Common combinations
- car dealer
- The car dealer offered a discount.
- drug dealer
- The drug dealer was caught by police.
- art dealer
- The art dealer specializes in modern paintings.
- authorized dealer
- Buy only from an authorized dealer.
Synonyms and how they differ
- trader
- A trader buys and sells goods or financial assets, often in markets; a dealer usually sells directly to customers.
- merchant
- A merchant is a formal or old-fashioned word for someone who buys and sells goods, often in large amounts.
- supplier
- A supplier provides goods to businesses; a dealer often sells to the public.
Word family
- deal verb
- To give out cards in a game, or to buy and sell goods.
- dealership noun
- A business that sells a particular product, especially cars.
Commonly confused: dealer or dealer?
dealer vs dealer
Not to be confused with 'dealer' meaning a person who deals cards; context makes the meaning clear.
Practice
We bought our new sofa from a furniture ___.
Choose one answer.
'Dealer' is the usual word for a business that sells a particular product to customers. 'Supplier' is more about providing goods to businesses, and 'trader' and 'merchant' are less common in everyday shopping contexts.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “dealer”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.