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 (Alberta) News Now

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 of advertisement

• 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 polished assets also helped lower the skepticism people might normally apply to an unknown online advertisement. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 23 Sep. 2026

Beth Israel collected the desperate advertisements placed in the national newspapers. — Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026

Some hospitality and entertainment venues have introduced restrictions or bans, and anti-smart glasses advertisements have begun appearing at some bus stations throughout London. — Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2026

In a very similar manner, the technology is now being utilized to create voices for everything from advertisements to audio chatbots, for these exact same reasons. — Will Jones, Sacbee.com, 22 Sep. 2026

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