blurb
Americannoun
verb (used with object)
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of blurb
An Americanism dating back to 1910–15; allegedly coined by F. G. Burgess
Explanation
A blurb is a short piece of writing that describes or summarizes something longer and more complicated. You might browse in the library, reading blurbs on the backs of books to help you choose what to check out. One type of blurb is written to sell or promote something. A movie's official website might include a blurb describing its plot as well as a short trailer and a cast list, and well-known authors often contribute blurbs full of praise to help other writers market their own books. Any brief written summary can also be called a blurb: in fact, right now you're reading a blurb about the word blurb.
Vocabulary lists containing blurb
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"Ad Power," "Without Commercials," and "What's Wrong with Advertising"
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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.
See Examples For:
Mr. Musk wrote a blurb for “Suicidal Empathy,” and his endorsement made the outspoken Mr. Saad even more reviled on campus.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
In the blurb, Busbice said his company was in the process of reshoring its manufacturing after “cleaning up the business” in the wake of disruptions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
From Salon ● Sep. 18, 2025
In the blurb to the exhibition, Wintour writes that she has “probably spent a year of my life waiting for fashion shows, which are famously tardy, to begin”.
From BBC ● Dec. 3, 2024
The weeks leading up to a release can be long and exhaustive, with questionnaires, blurb requests, and audiobook recordings to take care of.
From Slate ● Aug. 8, 2024
Matt read the blurb under the picture: Esperanza Mendoza, the ex-wife of Senator Mendoza, is a charter member of the Anti-Slavery Society of California.
From "The House of the Scorpion" by Nancy Farmer
I didn’t read the glowing blurbs for a first-time author from Gwyneth Paltrow, Gloria Steinem, Chanel Miller and Mariska Hargitay.
From Salon ● Jun. 25, 2026
The back cover of my 1985 reissue features two blurbs: One by Alice Walker, one by Henry Miller.
From New York Times ● Feb. 17, 2024
“Listening to that, you get a much better sense of who this young woman is, as opposed to the social media blurbs and the gossip magazines,” Ed Kelce said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 10, 2024
After the debate, “Steve’s Vision” was updated with several more short blurbs and some bolded words.
From Slate ● Feb. 5, 2024
They'll be quoted, parsed, fact-checked, eviscerated by those who disagree, and then forgotten in the wake of new blurbs that come out tomorrow.
From "How It Went Down" by Kekla Magoon
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.
