infomercial

American  

[in-fuh-mur-shuhl, -foh-] / ˌɪn fəˈmɜr ʃəl, -foʊ- /

noun

Radio and Television.

1. a long commercial that informs or instructs, especially in an original and entertaining manner.

   an infomercial on making Christmas decorations using the sponsor's brand of glue.

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infomercial British  

/ ˌɪnfəˈmɜːʃəl /

noun

1. a short film, usually for television, which advertises a product or service in an informative way

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Etymology

Origin of infomercial

Blend of information and commercial

Example Sentences

US media has been less enthusiastic in its reviews, with The Atlantic calling the documentary a "disgrace" and the Variety trade magazine describing it as a "shameless infomercial."

From Barron's • Jan. 31, 2026

“Unlike infomercial sleep books or costly consultants at $300+ per consultation, ChatGPT provides live troubleshooting at half the cost, at only $20 monthly.”

From Salon • Sep. 20, 2025

One of the first was “American Gigolo,” a 1980 film that has often been compared to an infomercial for Armani menswear.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 4, 2025

“Hit that Like button” and “Don’t forget to turn on post notifications” have replaced the infomercial catchphrases of the past, and these social media influencers are challenging Renker and other industry pioneers for dominance.

From Slate • Feb. 21, 2025

Only one channel came in, some kind of weird repeating infomercial with a woman selling letter openers that looked a little like katana blades, which was not going to make Ernie feel any better.

From "As Brave As You" by Jason Reynolds