classified ad

American  

noun

1. an advertisement in a newspaper, magazine, or the like generally dealing with offers of or requests for jobs, houses, apartments, used cars, and the like.

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Etymology

Origin of classified ad

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

He saw a classified ad in the San Diego Union-Tribune in 1987 and applied for a role as a technician.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 9, 2025

His first children's writing job resulted from answering a classified ad, and his horror writing break came after an editor was angry at someone else.

From Salon • Sep. 4, 2022

The police believe that the trailer was sold on Gumtree, an online classified ad site.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 25, 2021

POV Director Maite Alberti’s documentary “The Mole Agent” traces the story of a Chilean widower who responds to a classified ad from a private investigation service for men between the ages of 80 and 90.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 24, 2021

And when the Graphic View II arrived, procured secondhand from a classified ad, well loved and packed into its own case like an expensive violin, Mia knew this would be true.

From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng