bestseller

noun

best·​sell·​er ˈbes(t)-ˈse-lər How to pronounce bestseller (audio)
variants or best seller
plural bestsellers or best sellers
: a popular product and especially a book whose sales are among the highest of its class
[Isabel] Allende's new book is spun from the stuff of epic romances: eternal love, lost innocence, distant locales, revolution. In short, all the elements of a sure bestseller.Julie K. L. Dam
The Harvard Book Store Café … is not only the obvious choice for the latest best seller but the intelligent break for a shopper's graze.Alice Rubenstein Gochman
Two million copies have been sold, and it has been on the New York Times bestseller list for four years.Judith Daniels
… the two Fisher-Price bestsellers are the company's Fun with Food [toy] series and the Fisher-Price Fun with Food Kitchen.The New Yorker
She knows what the mass market wants—Vanderbilt and Chaps [fragrances] are best sellers—and she has a flair for what appeals to a more specialized market …Amy Singer
best-sellerdom noun
best-selling adjective

Examples of bestseller in a Sentence

She has written several best sellers.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Racca said the Orbita bag is performing well and has become a bestseller. Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 27 May 2026 Jackson occupies a quintet of rungs on the Official Vinyl Albums chart, but unlike on the more all-encompassing Official Albums Sales tally, only two of his bestsellers reach new peak positions. Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026 While the New York Times bestsellers from 2025 skew in favor of the 6-by-9 trim, the popularity of 5-by-8 books appears to be on the rise. Adam Messinger, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2026 Currently a bestseller in Scandinavia, this fresh spin on a familiar story sails along at a luxurious pace, bouncing between the brains of the five core friends. Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 26 May 2026 Gurwitch has become an advocate in the years since, chronicling her experience of needing support and stepping into mentorship in her bestseller The End of My Life is Killing Me. Kirsten Chuba, HollywoodReporter, 20 May 2026 The couple first crossed paths after Charles — who has authored nine books — was asked to review Jarman’s 2021 nonfiction bestseller River Kings, centered on her specialist subject of the Vikings. Simon Perry, PEOPLE, 19 May 2026 Still going strong with customers are the KBBQ Steak bowls and plates — accompanied by cucumber kimchi, spicy broccoli and apple kimchi sauce — and two of the restaurant’s longtime bestsellers, the Caramelized Steak and Miso Salmon plates. Linda Zavoral, Mercury News, 18 May 2026 The entire Ipanema collection—a bestseller in their outdoor collection—is on sale. Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 15 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1864, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bestseller was in 1864

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Cite this Entry

“Bestseller.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bestseller. Accessed 30 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

best-seller

noun
best-sell·​er
ˈbes(t)-ˈsel-ər
: an article (as a book) whose sales are among the highest of its kind
best-selling
-ˈsel-iŋ
adjective

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