slogan

noun

slo·​gan ˈslō-gən 

1

a

: a war cry especially of a Scottish clan

b

: a word or phrase used to express a characteristic position or stand or a goal to be achieved

2

: a brief attention-getting phrase used in advertising or promotion

Synonyms

• banner
• motto

Examples of slogan in a Sentence

within days, virtually everyone was familiar with the newest advertising slogan for that brand of soda

Recent Examples on the Web

Amid growing calls for transparency and climate responsibility, a few under-the-radar brands are stepping up with substance, not slogans and these were made in a random summer discovery. —Dianne Plummer, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025

Critics have accused the regime of prioritizing ideological loyalty over competence, allowing individuals who simply mouthed hard-line slogans to rise through the ranks while concealing their true allegiances. —Mohammad Ayatollahi Tabaar, Foreign Affairs, 8 July 2025

Houthi supporters shout slogans during a weekly, anti-U.S. and anti-Israel rally in Sanaa, Yemen, Friday, July 4, 2025. —Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 July 2025

His campaign slogans of rent freezes, free buses, and universal child care resonated with working families across the five boroughs and especially with historically elusive voters under 40. —Reshma Saujani, New York Daily News, 6 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

alteration of earlier slogorn, from Scottish Gaelic sluagh-ghairm, from sluagh army, host + gairm cry

First Known Use

1513, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for slogan

• bogan
• brogan
• shogun
• yogin

Kids Definition

slogan

noun

slo·​gan ˈslō-gən 

1

: a word or phrase that calls to battle

2

: a word or phrase used by a party, a group, or a business to attract attention

Etymology

from earlier slogorn "war cry, rallying cry," from Scottish Gaelic, the ancient language of Scotland, sluagh-gairm "army cry," from sluagh "army" and ghairm "call, cry"

Word Origin

The clans of Scotland were groups of related families that joined together, especially to defend against outsiders. In the old days these outsiders might be other clans, but usually they were the English to the south. When it was time to gather members of the clan for a battle, the Scots would shout the sluagh-gairm, which meant "army cry." It is made up of the Scottish Gaelic word sluagh, meaning "army," and ghairm, meaning "call, cry." This came into English as slogorn and later became slogan. At first slogan meant a "battle cry" or "rallying cry." Later it came to be used for "a motto or phrase used by a group to attract attention."