hype

¹ American  

[hahyp] / haɪp /

verb (used with object)

hyped, hyping

1. to stimulate, excite, or agitate (usually followed byup ).

   She was hyped up at the thought of owning her own car.

2. to create interest in by flamboyant or dramatic methods; promote or publicize showily.

   a promoter who knows how to hype a prizefight.

3. to intensify (advertising, promotion, or publicity) by ingenious or questionable claims, methods, etc. (usually followed byup ).

4. to trick; gull.

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noun

1. exaggerated publicity; hoopla.

2. an ingenious or questionable claim, method, etc., used in advertising, promotion, or publicity to intensify the effect.

3. a swindle, deception, or trick.

hype ² American  

[hahyp] / haɪp /

noun

Slang.

1. a hypodermic needle.

2. Disparaging and Offensive. a person who is addicted to a drug, especially one who uses a hypodermic needle.

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hype ¹ British  

/ haɪp /

noun

1. a deception or racket

2. intensive or exaggerated publicity or sales promotion

   media hype

3. the person or thing so publicized

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verb

1. to market or promote (a product) using exaggerated or intensive publicity

2. to falsify or rig (something)

3. (in the pop-music business) to buy (copies of a particular record) in such quantity as to increase its ratings in the charts

hype ² British  

/ haɪp /

noun

1. a hypodermic needle or injection

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verb

1. to inject oneself with a drug

2. (tr) to stimulate artificially or excite

Other Word Forms

• hyper noun
• hyping noun

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; hypo ¹

Example Sentences

Javaheri pointed to the hype around SpaceX, which took more than 20 years to reach its current valuation.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

When it comes to peptide injections generally, “the gap between the hype and the evidence is staggering,” Lucy McBride, a primary care doctor, recently wrote in her newsletter Are You Okay?

From Slate • Mar. 30, 2026

It wasn’t a confirmation, but you could feel the hype machine creak into action at even the most remote chance of the old Tiger magic.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 29, 2026

On social media, the Dodgers unveiled their Opening Day hype video.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

Was West Indian Archie, I began to wonder, bluffing a hype on me?

From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey

Related Words

• advertise
• announce
• boost
• broadcast
• pitch
• promote
• promulgate
• tout
• trumpet