Tough Sell: Meaning, Examples, and How to Use This Business English Idiom (+ Quiz)

Q: What does tough sell mean?

It describes an idea or proposal that’s hard to convince people to accept.

Q: Can I use tough sell outside work?

Yes. Example: Getting my friends to try sushi was a tough sell.

Q: What’s a good alternative phrase?

Try hard to sell, difficult to approve, or unlikely to gain support.

Q: What’s the difference between tough sell and hard sell?

Tough sell = something hard to persuade people to accept. Hard sell = an aggressive way of selling or pushing an idea.

Q: Can I soften the phrase?

Yes, it’s very natural to say “a bit of a tough sell” when you want to be more polite.

Erin West
Sep 8
4 min read

Updated: Sep 21

Bearded man in a red apron looking doubtful against a red background — visual for tough sell meaning in Business English

Some ideas are harder to get approved than others. When managers or clients push back, Americans often call it a tough sell.

Download PDF

In this article, you’ll learn what the meaning of "tough sell," see how it’s used in real business situations, and test yourself with a short quiz.

What does "tough sell" mean in Business English?

tough sell

idiom (informal–neutral)

something that’s hard to convince people to accept, agree to, or approve

Examples of tough sell in action

1. In a pricing meeting

A price increase right now would be a tough sell. Customers aren’t ready for it.

2. In a project update

Cutting the training budget will be a tough sell with HR.

3. In a boardroom discussion

Convincing investors to double our marketing spend could be a tough sell without clear numbers.

4. In everyday life

Getting the kids to agree on the same movie was a tough sell.

5. In an email

I’ll be honest—replacing the whole system this year is going to be a tough sell. Could we phase it in instead?

Woman in green sweater, thinking with coffee. Laptop showing graph. Text: "Start Learning Data Science. Enroll now." Blue background.

Dialogue Example

Two colleagues are preparing for a meeting with management.

Jack:	Do you think we should propose doubling the marketing budget?
Miranda:	Honestly, that’s going to be a tough sell. Finance has already cut back spending this quarter.
Jack:	Yeah, you’re right. Maybe we just ask for a smaller increase and show the ROI numbers.
Miranda:	Exactly. That would sound a lot more reasonable.

Try it yourself

Imagine you’re in a meeting where someone suggests:

Extending deadlines by three months
Replacing the entire software system

How would you politely say that the idea is a tough sell?

Scroll down to read and listen to the example answers.

Related Business English expressions

These phrases are often used in similar situations. They don’t mean exactly the same thing as tough sell, but you’ll hear them a lot in meetings and emails.

hard to swallow

idiom

something that is difficult to accept or believe

The new overtime policy was hard to swallow for the team.
It’s hard to swallow that the project we worked on for months was canceled.

a long shot

idiom

something that is unlikely to succeed, but still possible

Winning that contract is a long shot, but it’s worth trying.
Asking for another extension might be a long shot at this point.

pushback

noun

resistance, objections, or disagreement from other people

We got some pushback from Finance about the travel budget.
There was pushback from employees when the dress code changed.

Want more practice? Try our How to Say “I Can’t Do This” Professionally – 7 Alternatives for Work or download the free PDF “10 Business English Idioms.”

hard sell

noun (sales/marketing tactic)

a very aggressive way of trying to make people buy or agree (⚠️ not the same as tough sell)

The salesperson used a hard sell and it made me uncomfortable.
We don’t want our marketing emails to feel like a hard sell.

Try it yourself: ANSWER KEY + AUDIO

1. I think extending the deadline by three months would be a tough sell to management. They’ve already promised the client a delivery date, so pushing it back that far might not be realistic. Maybe we can ask for a smaller extension instead.

2. Replacing the whole system right now might be a tough sell without strong reasons. It’s a huge cost, and people will ask why the current system can’t last a bit longer. If we can show clear problems and savings, then it might be easier.

Practice the latest Phrasebook phrases — download the PDF

Business English Phrasebook B2 PDF worksheet with fill-in-the-blank exercise using expressions like cut to the chase, tough sell, zero in, double, and take ownership.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the "tough sell" meaning?

"Tough sell" describes an idea or proposal that’s hard to convince people to accept.

Is "tough sell" formal or informal?

It’s informal-neutral. Common in meetings and conversations, fine in internal emails. In very formal writing, use difficult to justify or hard to gain approval for.

Is it only used for prices?

No. It can describe budgets, deadlines, policy changes, or any suggestion that meets resistance.

Can I use "tough sell" outside work?

Yes.

Example: Getting my friends to try sushi was a tough sell.

What’s a good alternative phrase?

Try hard to sell, difficult to approve, or unlikely to gain support.

What’s the difference between "tough sell" and "hard sell"?

tough sell = something hard to persuade people to accept
hard sell = an aggressive way of selling or pushing an idea

Can I soften the phrase?

Yes, it’s very natural to say “a bit of a tough sell” when you want to be more polite.

Review what you’ve learned! Click the image to try a 5-Question Quiz based on our latest phrases.

This Week’s Business English Quiz:

Tough Sell, Cut To The Chase, Take (On), Let That Sink In, & Zero In On

Person in yellow sweater using a laptop. Text: "5-Question Quiz, 7 Days, Free" with a red "View Details" button.

This article is brought to you by RealBusinessEnglish.com, where learning Business English is practical, professional, and just the right amount of fun.