advert
1 Americanverb (used without object)
-
to remark or comment; refer (usually followed byto ).
He adverted briefly to the news of the day.
- Synonyms:
- allude
-
to turn the attention (usually followed byto ).
The committee adverted to the business at hand.
noun
noun
verb
Usage
What does advert mean? Advert is short for advertisement. It is primarily used in the U. K. in the same way that American speakers use the word ad. Advert is also a verb that means to call attention to or reference something. This is easy to remember since the purpose of advertisements is to get your attention. Example: There are way too many adverts on this page.
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
advertsimple
-
advertssimple
-
have advertedperfect
-
has advertedperfect
-
are advertingprogressive
-
am advertingprogressive
-
is advertingprogressive
-
have been advertingperfect progressive
-
has been advertingperfect progressive
Past
-
advertedsimple
-
had advertedperfect
-
was advertingprogressive
-
were advertingprogressive
-
had been advertingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of advert1
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English a(d)verten, from Old French a(d)vertir (with ad- replacing a- a- 5 ), from Latin advertere “to pay attention,” literally, “to turn toward,” from ad- ad- + vertere “to turn”
Origin of advert2
By shortening
Explanation
This one's easy. An advert is an advertisement: just shorten advertisement, and you get advert. As a verb, to advert to something means to refer to it. The noun advert (AD-vert) shows up mostly in England, where people use it interchangeably with advertisement, as in "Did you see that advert in the paper? If you buy two pairs of socks, you get a third pair free!" The verb advert (ad-VERT), on the other hand, means to "make reference to," like the way your mom might advert to your messy room and unfinished chores when you complain that you're bored.
Vocabulary lists containing advert
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857)
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Marbury v. Madison (1803)
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The Bank also says if you see such content you should not click on it or invest - instead report the post or advert on the platform, and then to Action Fraud.
From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026
But perhaps not the best advert for attracting long term foreign investment.
From BBC • Jun. 7, 2026
In January, West took out an advert in the Wall Street Journal to defend himself, saying: "I am not a Nazi or an antisemite" and "I love Jewish people".
From Barron's • Jun. 2, 2026
In January, he took out a full-page advert in the Wall Street Journal in which he said he was "not a Nazi or an antisemite", adding: "I love Jewish people."
From Barron's • May 31, 2026
The leader, however, who'd come into La Boîte aux Mille Surprises first, she could’ve been off a shampoo advert.
From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
