wholesale
wholesale — adjective
1. relating to a business model where goods are supplied in very large amounts at l
relating to a business model where goods are supplied in very large amounts at lower rates to shops and companies, as opposed to selling individual items to people buying for themselves.
The cafe owner gets a wholesale price on beans by ordering directly from the importer.
wholesale + noun (price)
Paloma's family runs a wholesale business that sells tiles to hardware stores across the region.
wholesale + noun (business)
Wholesale markets in big cities often open before sunrise to serve shop owners.
Mei's grocery store needed a wholesale license to buy snacks from food factories.
- retail
opposite business model — selling to individual customers in small quantities
文法句型
wholesale + noun
用法筆記
This adjective almost always appears before a noun. Common noun partners include 'price', 'business', 'market', 'customer', and 'license'.
常見錯誤
2. done on a very broad scale and affecting many things at once, often without care
done on a very broad scale and affecting many things at once, often without careful thought about the individual details or consequences.
The new manager made wholesale changes to the team without consulting anyone first.
wholesale + noun (changes)
The principal's wholesale cancellation of all school field trips upset both students and parents.
wholesale + noun (cancellation)
Yael opposed the wholesale destruction of the old library, which could have been repaired instead.
Gita criticized the wholesale closure of local clinics, which left many patients without care.
- sweeping
very close in meaning; 'sweeping changes' and 'wholesale changes' are nearly interchangeable
- blanket
emphasizes covering everything without exceptions ('blanket ban', 'blanket policy')
- indiscriminate
highlights the lack of careful selection; often more negative than 'wholesale'
文法句型
wholesale + noun (of change/destruction/dismissal)
用法筆記
This sense often carries a negative tone, especially when describing actions that are considered too extreme or lacking in proper consideration. Common noun partners include 'changes', 'destruction', 'dismissal', 'reform', and 'attack'.
常見錯誤
wholesale — noun
1. the cost charged to shops and other businesses by manufacturers for buying goods
the cost charged to shops and other businesses by manufacturers for buying goods in bulk, as opposed to the amount that individual customers pay in stores.
The boutique buys its dresses at wholesale and then adds a markup for customers.
at wholesale (prepositional phrase)
Anjali compared the wholesale with the retail price to calculate her profit margin.
the wholesale (used as countable noun)
Small shop owners can buy their products at wholesale if they meet the minimum order requirements.
The wholesale price of cooking oil has risen sharply because of the poor harvest this season.
- trade price
a synonym for the price paid by businesses buying from each other
- bulk rate
focuses on the quantity discount rather than the business model
- retail price
the price paid by end customers in shops
文法句型
at wholesale
pay wholesale
用法筆記
Commonly appears in the phrase 'at wholesale' (meaning 'at the wholesale price'). It can also be used as a countable noun ('the wholesale') to refer to the specific price of a particular product.
2. the business or activity of buying goods in huge amounts from producers and sell
the business or activity of buying goods in huge amounts from producers and selling them to shops or other businesses that then sell them to the public.
Ryo has worked in wholesale for fifteen years, supplying fabrics to fashion brands.
work in wholesale
The company moved from retail into wholesale and saw its monthly profit jump from $3,000 to $18,000 within two years.
into wholesale
Wholesale requires a large warehouse and a reliable network of transport companies.
Hoa runs a wholesale business that imports 500 kilos of oolong from Taiwan for cafés.
- bulk trade
emphasizes the large-quantity nature of the business
- distribution
broader — includes wholesale but also other types of product movement
- retail
the opposite model of selling directly to individual customers
文法句型
in wholesale
work in wholesale
用法筆記
This uncountable noun refers to the trade or sector, not the price. Common phrases include 'in wholesale' (as a business area) and 'work in wholesale' (as a profession).
常見錯誤
wholesale — adverb
1. in very large quantities at a low cost, typically so that the goods can be resol
in very large quantities at a low cost, typically so that the goods can be resold at a higher price for profit.
The bakery buys flour wholesale from a local mill to keep its costs down.
buy + wholesale
If you order the parts wholesale, you can build the machine for half the price.
order + wholesale
Emre sells his handmade furniture wholesale to hotels and office buildings.
Restaurants in the area purchase their vegetables wholesale to save money on ingredients.
- retail
selling items one by one to individual customers at a higher price
文法句型
buy/sell/purchase wholesale
用法筆記
This adverb usually follows a verb of transaction. Common verbs it modifies include 'buy', 'sell', 'purchase', 'order', and 'supply'. It answers the question 'in what manner?' regarding the transaction.
常見錯誤
2. on a very broad scale without making careful distinctions or considering individ
on a very broad scale without making careful distinctions or considering individual cases.
The factory closed and laid off workers wholesale without any warning or severance pay.
verb + wholesale (laid off wholesale)
The landlord decided to raise rents wholesale on all tenants, even those who never caused any problems.
verb + wholesale (raise rents wholesale)
Zola criticized the plan to demolish houses wholesale without checking which ones could be saved.
After the merger, the new owners replaced staff wholesale and brought in their own team.
- indiscriminately
the most direct synonym; strongly emphasizes lack of careful selection
- en masse
from French, means 'as a whole group' without the negative connotation
- across the board
applies equally to everything, often neutral in tone (e.g., 'a pay raise across the board')
- selectively
with careful choice rather than blanket application
- individually
case by case rather than all at once
文法句型
verb + wholesale
用法筆記
This sense often carries a critical or negative tone, suggesting that the action is too broad and lacks proper judgment. Typical verbs it modifies include 'dismiss', 'lay off', 'cut', 'replace', 'remove', and 'destroy'.
wholesale — verb
1. to sell goods in very large amounts, usually at low prices, to shops or other bu
to sell goods in very large amounts, usually at low prices, to shops or other businesses rather than to ordinary customers.
David's farm wholesales fresh vegetables to supermarkets across the region every morning.
wholesale + noun + to + place (transitive with indirect object)
The company wholesales its handmade soaps to boutique hotels and gift shops.
Ada wholesales directly to retailers and does not work with individual customers.
The factory wholesales its products at a price that small shops can afford.
- sell in bulk
a phrasal alternative with the same meaning, more transparent
- distribute
broader — includes wholesale but also other channels like delivery and logistics
- retail
to sell goods individually to the end customer
文法句型
wholesale + noun (transitive)
wholesale to + person/place (intransitive)
用法筆記
The verb form is less common than the adjective or adverb. When used transitively, the object is the goods being sold ('wholesale furniture'). When used intransitively, it is followed by 'to' indicating the buyer ('wholesale to retailers').