advertising

American  

[ad-ver-tahy-zing] / ˈæd vərˌtaɪ zɪŋ /

Or advertizing

noun

1. 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.

2. paid announcements; advertisements.

3. the profession of planning, designing, and writing advertisements.

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advertising British  

/ ˈædvəˌtaɪzɪŋ /

noun

1. the promotion of goods or services for sale through impersonal media, such as radio or television

2. the business that specializes in creating such publicity

3. advertisements collectively; publicity

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Other Word Forms

• counteradvertising
  noun
• proadvertising
  adjective
• proadvertizing
  adjective
• self-advertising
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of advertising

First recorded in 1520–30; advertise + -ing ¹

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.

Example Sentences

Pratt has spent at least $500,000 on digital advertising and billboards, according to his latest expense filings.

From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2026

A highly transactional approach to keyword advertising, meanwhile, is under revision.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

Tesla has helped SpaceX with purchasing, buying advertising on X. “We plan to explore other areas of strategic collaboration with Tesla in the future,” reads part of the prospectus.

From Barron's • May 22, 2026

She had featured in a number of advertising campaigns and acted in a Telugu-language film.

From BBC • May 21, 2026

The 1970s were the years of Nixon’s visit to China, the advent of Transcendental Meditation, cigarette advertising being banned from the airwaves, and fast-food chains multiplying.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady