hype
1 Americanverb (used with object)
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hypes,
present (3rd person singular)
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hyped,
past participle, past
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hyping
present participle
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to stimulate, excite, or agitate (usually followed byup ).
She was hyped up at the thought of owning her own car.
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to create interest in by flamboyant or dramatic methods; promote or publicize showily.
a promoter who knows how to hype a prizefight.
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to intensify (advertising, promotion, or publicity) by ingenious or questionable claims, methods, etc. (usually followed byup ).
noun
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exaggerated publicity; hoopla.
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an ingenious or questionable claim, method, etc., used in advertising, promotion, or publicity to intensify the effect.
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a swindle, deception, or trick.
noun
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Disparaging and Offensive. a person who is addicted to a drug, especially one who uses a hypodermic needle.
noun
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a deception or racket
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intensive or exaggerated publicity or sales promotion
media hype
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the person or thing so publicized
verb
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to market or promote (a product) using exaggerated or intensive publicity
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to falsify or rig (something)
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(in the pop-music business) to buy (copies of a particular record) in such quantity as to increase its ratings in the charts
noun
verb
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to inject oneself with a drug
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(tr) to stimulate artificially or excite
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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hypesimple
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hypessimple
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have hypedperfect
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has hypedperfect
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am hypingprogressive
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are hypingprogressive
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is hypingprogressive
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have been hypingperfect progressive
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has been hypingperfect progressive
Past
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hypedsimple
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had hypedperfect
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was hypingprogressive
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were hypingprogressive
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had been hypingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of hype1
An Americanism dating back to 1820–30, in sense “to trick, swindle,” of uncertain origin; subsequent senses perhaps by reanalysis as a shortening of hyperbole
Origin of hype2
First recorded in 1920–25; shortening of hypodermic; cf. hypo 1
Explanation
As a noun, hype means extravagant claims about a person or product. All the hype about a miraculous new kind of mop might influence you to buy one, but after trying it out you'll realize it's just a mop. Experts speculate that the word hype may be a back formation of hyperbole, or it may come from hyper — old-fashioned slang for a person who swindled someone. As a verb, to hype something is to blatantly promote it. If you hype your favorite restaurant enough, your friends will finally try it. If they all hate it, though, they might never listen to you again!
Vocabulary lists containing hype
The 57 Bus
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Chomp
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Why We Fly
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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:
Even though the Rams haven’t quite lived up to their extraordinary preseason hype, their furious charge showed just how dangerous they can be—and that’s without their roster at full strength.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026
In that sense, blindly swallowing AI’s positive hype can be as dangerous as its alleged existential risks.
From Salon ● Sep. 30, 2026
Ever since City moved to secure the future signing of a then 14-year-old Sullivan back in 2024, there has been plenty of intrigue around his progress, and hype to go with it.
From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2026
In all the national postseason hype, the Dodgers projections will boil down to one sentence: Can anyone stop those starters?
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 26, 2026
Everyone was so hype, jumping around, trying to stay loose.
From "Ghost" by Jason Reynolds
Probably no company hypes the tech-boss-as-hero ethos as unapologetically as Palantir.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 19, 2026
Musk has 11 children and often hypes pro-natalist ideas.
From Salon ● Feb. 5, 2025
“Nah, that turns me up. That hypes me up.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 19, 2025
As well as singing, the songmaster decides when the song is sung - usually after special victories - and hypes up team-mates by recapping performances of individuals in the match.
From BBC ● Dec. 17, 2023
Sails hypes the crowd up with a pregame speech that is straight of a wrestling promo.
From Washington Times ● Apr. 30, 2023
Now some caveats: The industry attracts types already hyped up on AI potential and AI risks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026
My last quote is a humblebrag for sure, from an email in 2012 where I hyped up the Wild Flag album to him, and he replied:
From Salon ● Sep. 8, 2026
Some of it may be hyped news, headline sensationalism.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026
Kimi Antonelli started his Formula 1 career in 2025 hyped as the next generational talent - but did not live up to that billing in his maiden season.
From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026
I lean back in my seat, realizing that I am getting way too hyped and talking way too much.
From "Watch Us Rise" by Renée Watson and Ellen Hagan
The stage felt emptier without them, but their bandmates worked hard to fill the gaps, hyping up the crowd with a succession of bass-heavy pop anthems and jaw-dropping dance breaks.
From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026
Executives have been hyping up the launch event.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 31, 2026
In the months leading up to the July 4 launch of Trump Accounts, Gerstner has focused his attention on hyping the program.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026
As it is, he’s spending his time hyping this deal as the conclusion of a narrative that casts him as a big hero.
From Salon ● Jun. 18, 2026
But his goons are all around him, still hyping the whole situation.
From "When I Was the Greatest" by Jason Reynolds
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.
