press agent

American  

Or pressagent

noun

1. a person employed to promote the interests of an individual, organization, etc., by obtaining favorable publicity through advertisements, mentions in columns, and the like.

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press agent British  

noun

1.  PA.  a person employed to obtain favourable publicity, such as notices in newspapers, for an organization, actor, etc

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Etymology

Origin of press agent

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

press agent

Fishman made sure to show Cusack the 1957 film “Sweet Smell of Success,” with Tony Curtis’ smarmy press agent an influence on his character.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

Obsessed with mending his relationship with his daughters, Clooney's character drags his manager, played by Adam Sandler, and press agent, played by Laura Dern, on a trip to Europe.

From Barron's ● Oct. 24, 2025

Welch was a divorced mother when she met ex-actor turned press agent, Patrick Curtis.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 15, 2023

Sy Presten, a press agent who supplied gags and gossip to newspaper columnists for so long — three-quarters of a century — that he finally became his own best material, died on Oct.

From New York Times ● Oct. 30, 2022

You are familiar with the theatrical press agent, the most harmless, jovial, inventive, and resourceful of his kind.

From Commercialism and Journalism by Hamilton Holt

Related Words

• publicist