publicist
Americannoun
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a person who publicizes, especially a press agent or public-relations consultant.
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an expert in current public or political affairs.
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an expert in public or international law.
noun
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a person who publicizes something, esp a press or publicity agent
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a journalist
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rare a person learned in public or international law
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of publicist
From German, dating back to 1785–95; see origin at public, -ist
Explanation
A publicist creates a media buzz for movie stars, restaurants, or whoever else needs attention. A publicist for a new restaurant might send out a press release to newspapers and magazines announcing the opening, emphasizing the fabulous. Those whose careers depend on getting attention in the media (on TV and the internet, for example) sometimes pay a publicist to generate coverage in the press. Actors, restaurants, writers, and oil companies are all things or people that commonly use publicists. In the eighteenth century, the word instead meant "person who knows public law" or "writer on current topics."
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:
Saar’s death was confirmed by her publicist Hannah Gottlieb-Graham.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
ProPublica reached out to Tyson through ELEV8 and his Florida publicist but did not get a response.
From Salon ● Jul. 27, 2026
The couple donated a combined $26 million to 20 local and national charities ahead of their presumed nuptials, Swift’s publicist told Business Insider.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 3, 2026
The Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter passed away peacefully at a Toronto hospital on Wednesday, his publicist, Eric Alper, said.
From BBC ● Jun. 25, 2026
“So how do you feel about your decision to do this now that you’re halfway across Washington? Your publicist, Olivia Ogden, said you’ve gone almost—” She checks her notes.
From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti
This is what Walmart, the publicists for the nation’s hottest rising country act, and many politicians have noticed too.
From Slate ● Jun. 25, 2026
Perhaps Hollywood's publicists have told their stars to play it straight to avoid any viral mishaps in the social media age.
From BBC ● Feb. 11, 2026
Lively filed a lawsuit in December against Baldoni, his company Wayfarer Studios, the company’s CEO Jamey Heath and publicists, among others.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 7, 2025
His publicists invited her under the pretense of a business dinner with Vogue editor in chief Anna Wintour, then White surprised Dobrev instead.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2025
I'm also relatively certain other teenagers in my neighborhood did not wake up at 5:00 in the morning, along with publicists and studio heads, just so they could watch the Oscar nominations announced live.
From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi
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.
