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

Enhancing Media Engagement And Advertising Impact Media consumption and advertisement will be the first real-world use cases with broad adoption. —Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025

Other options include signing up for newsletters or watching a short advertisement. —Chris Morris, Fortune, 27 June 2025

Both deal with tourism and both use repetition, which is the call of all advertisements of empire. —Cindy Juyoung Ok june 26, Literary Hub, 26 June 2025

In fact, the State of Florida ultimately had to take legal action due to the extreme nature of these misleading advertisements. —Khaleda Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 June 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