advertisement

noun

ad·​ver·​tise·​ment ˌad-vər-ˈtīz-mənt 

əd-ˈvər-təz-mənt,

-tə-smənt 

plural advertisements

1

: a public notice

especially : a paid notice that is published or broadcast (as to attract customers or to provide information of public interest)

an advertisement for a new car/movie/business

advertisements for job openings

radio/television/online advertisements

took out a full-page advertisement

2

: the act or process of advertising something

Rules could also be introduced pertaining to the advertisement of unhealthy food …

—Brooke Rolfe

3

: something resembling an advertisement (as in alerting someone to something)

Many people in the UK like to put their Christmas tree up in their front window and pile gifts up beneath it. This might look good to your neighbours, but it's just an advertisement for a thief to nick your loot!

—Kate Whitfield

especially : a person or thing that shows how good or effective something is

The 25-year-old from Cameroon has become a[n] … advertisement for perseverance.

—Lethbridge News Now (online)

A CV [=curriculum vitae] is the chance to impress employers, and it is an advertisement for skills and experience.

—Laura Davies and Lucinda Reid

Synonyms

• ad
• announcement
• release
• advertising

Examples of advertisement in a Sentence

The advertisement will appear in three magazines.

He learned about the job from an advertisement in the newspaper.

The company has spent a lot of money on advertisement.

Recent Examples on the Web

The man’s video is one of many of longform advertisements produced by The Agora and its sprawling conglomerate of subsidiaries, which have spent decades cashing in on Americans’ growing distrust in government, financial institutions and healthcare providers. —Amy Feldman, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025

Earlier this year the brand held two-week activations timed with the Rome Open, which included an influencer and press trip to the matches, out-of-home advertisements and a takeover of local ice-cream shops and cafés. —Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 9 July 2025

Companies such as Meta and Google spent the 2010s constructing ever bigger neural networks and data centers to power digital advertisements, social media, search engines, shopping algorithms, and so on. —Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 8 July 2025

However, to use this tournament as an advertisement for the increased competitiveness of the global game might just be a stretch too far. —Mark Carey, New York Times, 7 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French avertisement, advertissement, from avertiss-, advertiss-, stem of avertir, advertir "to notify, (reflexive) recognize, be mindful of" + -ment -ment — more at advert entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing advertisement

• banner advertisement
• self-advertisement

Kids Definition

advertisement

noun

ad·​ver·​tise·​ment ˌad-vər-ˈtīz-mənt  əd-ˈvərt-əz- 

1

: the act or process of advertising

2

: a public notice

especially : one published or broadcast