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marketing

American  
[mahr-ki-ting] / ˈmɑr kɪ tɪŋ /

noun

  1. the act of buying or selling in a market.

  2. the total of activities involved in the transfer of goods from the producer or seller to the consumer or buyer, including advertising, shipping, storing, and selling.


marketing British  
/ ˈmɑːkɪtɪŋ /

noun

  1. the provision of goods or services to meet customer or consumer needs

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Etymology

Origin of marketing

First recorded in 1555–65; market + -ing 1

Explanation

Marketing is how you go about promoting and selling a product. Any ad campaign is a type of marketing. Marketing has to do with making people aware of what you have to offer, whether it's updated software, a clearance sale, or ice-cold lemonade. If a commercial really makes you want to buy something, the marketing worked. Politicians use marketing in their campaigns to convince voters. Marketing is all about selling — and given how many ads there are everywhere you look, it’s probably one of the most powerful forces in the world.

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Vocabulary lists containing marketing

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.

Baroness Karren Brady, then aged 23, who had been working in marketing on the Sport newspapers, was installed as managing director.

From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026

Young wouldn’t just become the CMO—she would become the chief marketing and communications officer.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026

Citing data from job search website Indeed, AI appears to be slowing down growth in software, information technology, marketing and media job postings, he said.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 5, 2026

The company is increasing marketing spending as part of its efforts to boost sales.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 5, 2026

“Word of mouth, mostly. I don’t have much of a marketing budget. I’ll run the occasional ad in the Nashville Scene when I’ve had a good month.”

From "The Serpent King" by Jeff Zentner

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