publicity

noun

pub·​lic·​i·​ty (ˌ)pə-ˈbli-sə-tē 

-ˈbli-stē

1

: the quality or state of being public

2

a

: an act or device designed to attract public interest

specifically : information with news value issued as a means of gaining public attention or support

b

: the dissemination of information or promotional material

c

: paid advertising

d

: public attention or acclaim

Synonyms of publicity

• hype
• advertising
• advertisement

Examples of publicity in a Sentence

His public appearances are good publicity for the new movie.

An arrest for drunk driving is bad publicity for any celebrity.

The film has gotten some good publicity.

She has received a lot of publicity for her latest novel.

The studio spent a lot of money on publicity for the movie.

Recent Examples on the Web

In addition to providing free publicity for the films themselves, memes help to solidify an actor’s star power, influence and ubiquity in popular culture. — David MacK, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026

Nolan traveled to China with producer Emma Thomas and stars Matt Damon and Charlize Theron for a multi-stop publicity tour. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026

In her new position, Stone will lead publicity and oversee the global PR strategy for the studio’s production labels Disney Live Action, Disney Animation, Pixar, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm and 20th Century Studios, as well as Disney+. — Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 12 Aug. 2026

The industry acknowledges the marketing power of social media but grapples with balancing publicity and guest privacy. — Doug Gollan, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin pūblicitāt-, pūblicitās, from Latin pūblicus public entry 1 + -itāt-, -itās -ity

First Known Use

1609, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing publicity

• publicity stunt

Rhymes for publicity

• basicity
• chronicity
• complicity
• cyclicity
• duplicity
• ethnicity
• facticity
• felicity
• helicity
• plasticity
• rusticity
• simplicity

Kids Definition

publicity

noun

pub·​lic·​i·​ty (ˌ)pə-ˈblis-ət-ē 

1

: the condition of being public or publicly known

2

: an act or device designed to attract public interest

especially : information with a news value designed to further the interests of a place, person, or cause

3

a

: an action that gains public attention

b

: the attention so gained