- present participle of advertise.
advertising
Americannoun
-
the act or practice of calling public attention to one's product, service, need, etc., especially by paid announcements in newspapers and magazines, over radio or television, on billboards, etc..
to get more customers by advertising.
-
paid announcements; advertisements.
-
the profession of planning, designing, and writing advertisements.
noun
-
the promotion of goods or services for sale through impersonal media, such as radio or television
-
the business that specializes in creating such publicity
-
advertisements collectively; publicity
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of advertising
Explanation
Advertising is the act of drawing the public’s attention to something, usually to sell it. Whatever is written on the sandwich board you're wearing is what you're advertising. Advertising is getting the word out — whether it’s on a billboard, in a magazine ad, on a commercial, on the side of a blimp, or by singing it from the highest mountaintop. If you want to let people know about a product, service, or candidate, you run an advertising campaign. The word advertising may also be used for the advertisements themselves or the business of creating advertisements.
Vocabulary lists containing advertising
Material World: Shopping Lingo
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"Ad Power," "Without Commercials," and "What's Wrong with Advertising"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Talk Like Shakespeare Day, List 7
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
UK advertising rules state paid posts must be clearly marked with #ad or a platform's paid partnership feature.
From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026
Meta's business model revolves around selling advertising, and the company earns more when users spend more time on its apps.
From Barron's ● Aug. 25, 2026
The environmental impact of traditional balloons, which despite their advertising do not degrade, is largely unknown to the general public.
From Barron's ● Aug. 23, 2026
Cruz started spending six figures a week on advertising in late July 2024, according to AdImpact data, and ramped up to a weekly seven-figure spend by late September.
From Salon ● Aug. 22, 2026
Or taken an apartment in New York and worked for a magazine or an advertising company.
From "Franny and Zooey" by J. D. Salinger
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.
