as in hype
information released to the media that is designed to gain public attention or support for a person, business, or cause the newspaper's local stories are often thinly disguised puffery for area businesses

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of puffery That conclusion may sound preposterously quaint to some, unwelcome advice to a few, ridiculous puffery or an impossible goal to still others. David Baldacci, Peoplemag, 15 Apr. 2024 Most mentions of Florida were mere puffery, with little indication of what DeSantis intends to accomplish. Orlando Sentinel and South Florida Sun Sentinel Editorial Boards, Orlando Sentinel, 22 Feb. 2024 When the subject is not the movies but matters of the Middle East, the consequences of this sleight of hand are far graver than some dubious promotional puffery. Yair Rosenberg, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2024 This column is dedicated to my late father, Dr. Subhash Jain, a dedicated physician, father, grandfather, and husband who always prioritized the real work of delivering great patient care over hype—and always pushed me to look beyond puffery in the development of my own perspectives. Sachin H. Jain, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2023 See All Example Sentences for puffery
Recent Examples of Synonyms for puffery
Noun
  • For those of us who have spent our lives in women’s sports, the current moment of hype and excitement has required us to straddle two realities at once.
    Haley Rosen, Sportico.com, 21 Mar. 2025
  • Maintaining performance and security are also perennially important, whatever the new hype cycle happens to be.
    Agur Jõgi, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Even worse, much of it seems to be done for publicity purposes to appeal to Trump’s base.
    Phil Terrana, Baltimore Sun, 20 Mar. 2025
  • Majors was also dropped by his manager, Entertainment 360, and publicity firm, The Lede Company.
    Rebecca Keegan, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • This includes a wide range of offerings such as cloud computing services, online advertising, digital marketplaces, streaming platforms, mobile apps, e-learning tools, and virtual goods like e-books, music, or software.
    Aleksandra Bal, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
  • After receiving a degree in public relations and advertising from Texas Southern University, George IV has worked for his father’s business ventures in the public relations, marketing, licensing, and communications sectors, per his LinkedIn and Sports Illustrated.
    Makena Gera, People.com, 22 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • The limited-edition collection transforms the collectible figures into canvases of vintage Levi’s advertisements from the 1940s.
    Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 21 Mar. 2025
  • Google placed banners on its Brazilian homepage urging users to reject the legislation, while Meta ran advertisements questioning its implications for the digital economy.
    Camille Grenier, The Conversation, 21 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Puffery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/puffery. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.

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