advertise
Americanverb (used with object)
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to announce or praise (a product, service, etc.) in some public medium of communication in order to induce people to buy or use it.
to advertise a new brand of toothpaste.
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to give information to the public about; announce publicly in a newspaper, on radio or television, etc..
to advertise a reward.
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to call attention to, in a boastful or ostentatious manner.
Stop advertising yourself!
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Obsolete. to give notice, advice, or information to; inform.
I advertised him of my intention.
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Obsolete. to admonish; warn.
verb (used without object)
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to ask for something by placing a notice in a newspaper, over radio or television, etc..
to advertise for a house to rent.
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to offer goods for sale or rent, solicit funds, etc., by means of advertisements.
It pays to advertise.
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Cards.
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Poker. to bluff so as to make the bluff obvious.
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Rummy. to discard a card in order to induce an opponent to discard one of the same suit or denomination.
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verb
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to present or praise (goods, a service, etc) to the public, esp in order to encourage sales
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to make (something, such as a vacancy, article for sale, etc) publicly known, as to possible applicants, buyers, etc
to advertise a job
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to make a public request (for), esp in a newspaper, etc
she advertised for a cook
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obsolete to warn; caution
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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advertisableadjective
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well-advertisedadjective
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unadvertisedadjective
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advertisernoun
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overadvertiseverb
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readvertiseverb
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preadvertisernoun
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preadvertiseverb
Conjugated Forms
Present
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has advertisedperfect 3rd person singular
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have advertisedperfect
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am advertisingprogressive 1st person singular
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have been advertisingperfect progressive
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has been advertisingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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advertisingparticiple
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is advertisingprogressive 3rd person singular
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are advertisingprogressive
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advertisessingular 3rd person
Past
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had advertisedperfect
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were advertisingprogressive plural
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had been advertisingperfect progressive
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advertisedparticiple
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was advertisingprogressive singular
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advertisedsimple
Future
Etymology
Origin of advertise
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English advertisen, from Middle French avertiss-, long stem of avertir, from Vulgar Latin advertire (unrecorded), Latin advertere “to pay attention,” literally, “to turn toward” ( see advert 1); the expected Middle English advertishen (unrecorded) probably conformed to advertisement or the suffix -ize
Explanation
The verb advertise means to publicize a service or product in order to try to get you to buy or use it. If you see people eating delicious-looking chocolate in a television commercial, for example, you'll probably want to buy it. You don't have to use television, radio, or print media to advertise something — or even try to sell it at all. In fact, the word advertise can also simply mean to call attention to something. Your neighbors might advertise their lottery win by parking flashy cars in the driveway and having an endless supply of packages delivered to their house.
Vocabulary lists containing advertise
If I Stay
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Media Literacy - Middle School
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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.
She recalls their brief exchange at the rededication of Notre-Dame Cathedral in December 2024, a photograph of which Trump later used to advertise a Trump-branded cologne.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 1, 2026
"Sometimes people pick trains so they have the option of working while they're travelling," she says, adding that operators shouldn't advertise their wi-fi as a benefit of rail travel if it is unreliable.
From BBC • May 30, 2026
Ship management companies openly advertise jobs on the tankers, even though such postings could put them at risk of violating U.S. sanctions.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026
Under the blazing Vegas sun, giant billboards advertise "Live Enhanced" as the baritone voice of a sports announcer pretends to introduce British swimmer Ben Proud and other athletes.
From BBC • May 23, 2026
“I come about that porter job you got advertise in the paper.”
From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole
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.
