puff piece

American  

noun

Informal.

1. a newspaper article, book, public-relations film, etc., whose purpose is to praise or flatter.

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puff piece British  

noun

1. a flattering newspaper or magazine article about a person or an organization

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puff piece Idioms  

1. An approving or flattering article, as in That was really a puff piece about the conductor, written by her cousin. The use of puff for “exaggerated praise” dates from about 1600; piece was added in the mid-1900s.

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Example Sentences

But The Hollywood Reporter describes the film as "pretty polished and as featherweight as a fawning magazine puff piece".

From BBC • May 1, 2026

It is not a puff piece in the vein of the newspaper’s profile of Tony Hovater.

From Salon • Apr. 6, 2026

Williams: One of the first things I said to Brooklyn was I don’t want to make a puff piece.

From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2023

IndieWire calls “Sisters” a “powerfully intimate movie that’s varnished with the gloss of a puff piece, albeit one filled with such extraordinary people that it still makes a lasting impression.”

From Washington Post • Jun. 23, 2021

War bonds were still being advertised to “Help Finish the Job!” opposite pages with a puff piece extolling the charms of a recent debutante.

From New York Times • Sep. 2, 2020