clearance sale / sell-off
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clearance sale
The sale of goods at heavily reduced prices in order to clear out inventory quickly, often at the end of a season or before a business closes.
Wegen Geschäftsaufgabe findet ab Montag der totale Ausverkauf statt.
Because the business is closing, a total clearance sale starts on Monday.
sell-off
In a figurative sense, the surrender or betrayal of important values, ideals, cultural assets, or national interests out of self-interest or for short-term advantages.
Kritiker warfen der Regierung den Ausverkauf staatlicher Unternehmen vor.
Critics accused the government of the sell-off of state-owned companies.
'Ausverkauf' (clearance sale / sell-off) is a noun derived directly from the separable verb 'ausverkaufen' (to sell out). It describes the process or result of everything being sold.
Das Geschäft schließt, deshalb verkaufen sie alles aus.
The store is closing, so they are selling everything off.
In the context of shopping, fixed expressions such as 'totaler Ausverkauf' (total clearance sale), 'Saison-Ausverkauf' (seasonal clearance sale), or 'Räumungsverkauf' (clearance sale) are common. You also say that goods are 'im Ausverkauf' (on clearance).
Ich habe diese Jacke günstig im Ausverkauf bekommen.
I got this jacket cheaply in the clearance sale.
The figurative meaning is always negative and critical. You can recognize it from the fact that it is not about goods, but about intangible things like 'Werte' (values), 'Kultur' (culture), 'Heimat' (homeland), or 'Interessen' (interests).
Die Kritiker nannten den Verkauf der historischen Gebäude einen „Ausverkauf der Kultur“.
The critics called the sale of the historic buildings a 'sell-off of culture.'
betrayal
Both words can express sharp criticism of disloyal behavior. „Verrat“ emphasizes a serious breach of trust or shared values; „Ausverkauf“ focuses more on important ideals being sacrificed out of self-interest or for short-term advantages. Choose „Verrat“ for disloyalty, and „Ausverkauf“ for selling off one’s values.
Die Aufgabe der gemeinsamen Ideale für einen schnellen Vorteil wurde als Ausverkauf kritisiert.
Giving up their shared ideals for a quick advantage was criticized as a sell-off.
Die Weitergabe der geheimen Pläne an den Feind war ein schwerer Verrat.
Passing the secret plans to the enemy was a serious betrayal.
