advertisement
Americannoun
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a paid announcement, as of goods for sale, in newspapers or magazines, on radio or television, or on the internet.
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a public notice, especially in print.
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the action of making generally known; a calling to the attention of the public.
The news of this event will receive wide advertisement.
noun
Other Word Forms
- preadvertisement noun
- readvertisement noun
- self-advertisement noun
Etymology
Origin of advertisement
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, from Middle French avertissement; advertise, -ment
Explanation
A public notice promoting the sale of a certain item is called an advertisement. The word is often shortened to ad. They're on TV, on the radio, online, in the paper — you can't even escape advertisements at the movies. Although advertisements are usually meant to persuade, they aren't always just for selling goods. They're a great way to get the word out on just about anything. You can place an advertisement for all kinds of things: to look for your long-lost sister, to hire an employee, or to announce a local dance. Even way back in the 1600s, the British were posting advertisements for trips to a newfound place called "Virginia."
Vocabulary lists containing advertisement
Media Literacy - High School
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Media Literacy - Middle School
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Cormac McCarthy's "The Road"
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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 reassurance rang out across HumanX, a four-day conference drawing some 6,500 investors, entrepreneurs and tech executives, even as a blunt advertisement at the entrance set the tone: "Stop hiring humans."
From Barron's • Apr. 12, 2026
One advertisement is a video of a young woman talking to the camera in a confessional style typical of influencers.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026
This January, West apologised in a full-page advertisement in the Wall Street Journal, writing: "I am not a Nazi or an antisemite."
From BBC • Apr. 6, 2026
The writer, thanks to their ability to improve page rankings via keywords and section headings, will have created an article that looks like information but is really a thinly disguised advertisement.
From Slate • Mar. 28, 2026
In 1761, Washington took out a newspaper advertisement posting a reward for the return of four men who had escaped.
From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis
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.
