peddle

verb

ped·​dle ˈpe-dᵊl 

peddled; peddling ˈped-liŋ 

ˈpe-dᵊl-iŋ

intransitive verb

1

: to travel about with wares for sale

broadly : sell

peddling without a license

2

: to be busy with trifles : piddle

transitive verb

1

: to sell or offer for sale from place to place : hawk

broadly : sell

They peddled fruits and vegetables from a truck on the side of the road.

2

: to deal out or seek to disseminate

peddling personal advice

—G. F. Kennan

3

: to offer or promote as valuable

peddled snake oils and miracle lotions

Synonyms

• hawk

Examples of peddle in a Sentence

They peddled fruits and vegetables out of their truck on the side of the road.

He peddled his idea for a new movie to every executive in Hollywood.

The mayor's aides tried to peddle his innocence to reporters.

Recent Examples on the Web

Dunphy gains super strength from a drug peddled by the Power Broker, but winds up addicted to the same substance. —Matt Robison, Newsweek, 25 Feb. 2025

The outcry of South Africa's government and much of the international media may mislead neutral observers into thinking that Trump was peddling outrageous fabrications. —Frans Cronje, National Review, 22 Feb. 2025

But, at a time when hundreds of Cubans are in prison for voicing dissent and hundreds more are fleeing the island in record numbers — some dying at sea and during multi-country treks to the U.S.-Mexico border — the glossy American travel brochures peddling travel to Cuba sicken me. —Fabiola Santiago, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2025

Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas has a big project on his hands, but Pettersson is his most attractive asset to peddle at this year’s deadline, and Dubas seems motivated to start turning over his roster. —Chris Johnston, The Athletic, 24 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

back-formation from peddler, from Middle English pedlere, alteration of pedder peddler

First Known Use

1532, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Phrases Containing peddle

• peddle one's wares

Rhymes for peddle

• bedell
• heddle
• medal
• meddle
• pedal
• wedel
• bipedal
• intermeddle

Kids Definition

peddle

verb

ped·​dle ˈped-ᵊl 

peddled; peddling -liŋ 

-ᵊl-iŋ

1

: to travel about especially from house to house with goods for sale

2

: to sell from place to place usually in small quantities

3

: to present (something) in a manner that is intended to convince others of its value

peddled her opinion to her friends

peddler noun

also pedlar

ˈped-lər