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.

---

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

---

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

Dr Emma Connolly, from University College London's department of political science, who specialises in how political narratives spread on social media, said spending on paid advertising online by political parties has been growing.

From BBC • Apr. 25, 2026

Before we went in, we sat in the parking lot of the strip mall — signs in Arabic advertising bread, coffee, halal meats, the Little Arabia District — hand in hand.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 24, 2026

Results in its media business were particularly strong as domestic advertising revenue more than doubled due to the Olympics and Super Bowl.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026

Impressive agencies of many stripes noticed: advertising, branding, public affairs, strategic comms.

From Slate • Apr. 23, 2026

I decided the best form of advertising was to stand on the corner of our street and yell at the top of my voice, “Grapefruits for sale!”

From "Ugly" by Robert Hoge