- the promotion of goods or services for sale through impersonal media, such as radio or television
- the business that specializes in creating such publicity
- advertisements collectively; publicity
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
ad•ver•tis•ing /ˈædvɚˌtaɪzɪŋ/USA pronunciation
n. [uncountable]
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026- the business or activity of making advertisements.
ad•ver•tise /ˈædvɚˌtaɪz, ˌædvɚˈtaɪz/USA pronunciation
v., -tised, -tis•ing.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to announce or praise (a product, service, etc.) in newspapers, radio, or television, in order to sell it: [~ + object]to advertise a new brand of toothpaste.[no object]They advertised in the paper.
- [~ + object] to give information to the public about (an event, happening, etc.), esp. in a newspaper or on radio or television: They advertised the rock star's upcoming appearances.
- [~ + for + object] to request something, esp. by placing a notice in a newspaper: to advertise for a house to rent.
ad•ver•tis•ing
(ad′vər tī′zing),USA pronunciation n.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- Businessthe act or practice of calling public attention to one's product, service, need, etc., esp. by paid announcements in newspapers and magazines, over radio or television, on billboards, etc.:to get more customers by advertising.
- Businesspaid announcements;
advertisements. - Businessthe profession of planning, designing, and writing advertisements.
- advertise + -ing1 1520–30
ad•ver•tise
(ad′vər tīz′, ad′vər tīz′),USA pronunciation v., -tised, -tis•ing.
v.t.
v.i.
ad•ver•tis•a•ble
(ad′vər tī′zə bəl, ad′vər tī′-),USA pronunciation adj.
ad′ver•tis′er, n.
v.t.
- to announce or praise (a product, service, etc.) in some public medium of communication in order to induce people to buy or use it:to advertise a new brand of toothpaste.
- to give information to the public about; announce publicly in a newspaper, on radio or television, etc.:to advertise a reward.
- to call attention to, in a boastful or ostentatious manner:Stop advertising yourself!
- [Obs.]to give notice, advice, or information to;
inform:I advertised him of my intention. - [Obs.]to admonish;
warn.
v.i.
- to ask for something by placing a notice in a newspaper, over radio or television, etc.:to advertise for a house to rent.
- Businessto offer goods for sale or rent, solicit funds, etc., by means of advertisements:It pays to advertise.
- Games[Cards.]
- [Poker.]to bluff so as to make the bluff obvious.
- [Rummy.]to discard a card in order to induce an opponent to discard one of the same suit or denomination.
- Vulgar Latin *advertire, Latin advertere to advert1; the expected Middle English *advertishen probably conformed to advertisement or the suffix -ize
- Middle French avertiss-, long stem of avertir
- late Middle English advertisen 1400–50
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
advertising, sometimes US advertizing /ˈædvəˌtaɪzɪŋ/ n
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
advertise, sometimes US advertize /ˈædvəˌtaɪz/ vb
- to present or praise (goods, a service, etc) to the public, esp in order to encourage sales
- to make (something, such as a vacancy, article for sale, etc) publicly known, as to possible applicants, buyers, etc: to advertise a job
- (intransitive) followed by for: to make a public request (for), esp in a newspaper, etc: they advertised for a cook
'advertising jingle' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):