démarcher

Definition & meaning

Démarcher is a verb meaning to approach or contact someone in order to persuade them, offer something, or gain their business. It is especially common in sales and recruitment.

• A salesperson can démarcher potential customers by contacting them directly.
• A recruiter can démarcher someone to offer them a job.
• It can also mean to solicit or canvass, often with a sense of actively seeking people out.

Grammar & Word origin

Démarcher is a regular -er verb, usually used with a direct object: démarcher un client (“to approach a customer”).

It is formed from the prefix dé- ↗ and marcher ↗ (“to walk”). Its modern meaning is associated with making an approach or undertaking steps to contact someone.

Synonyms & antonyms

• solliciter ↗ — to approach or ask someone for something; broader than démarcher, which often suggests actively seeking clients, recruits, or support.
• prospecter ↗ — to search for potential customers or opportunities; it emphasizes finding prospects, while démarcher emphasizes contacting or persuading them.
• approcher ↗ — to approach someone; more general and not necessarily commercial or persuasive.

There is no exact antonym. refuser ↗ (“to refuse”) can describe the other person’s response, rather than the opposite action. repousser ↗ (“to reject” or “turn away”) may also be a contextual contrast.

Common phrases & collocations

• démarcher un client ↗ — to approach or solicit a customer.
• démarcher des entreprises ↗ — to approach companies, usually to offer a service or product.
• démarcher quelqu’un pour un poste ↗ — to approach someone about a job.