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

At first, his tracks were posted anonymously on SoundCloud, as a way to separate the art from the dozens of images of him seasonally plastered in Supreme advertisements. — Jeff Weiss, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2026

James posted a 14-second video on social media platform X that appeared to be an advertisement for Polymarket. — Lillian Rizzo,jessica Golden, CNBC, 5 Sep. 2026

With Ohtani on the marquee, the franchise transformed Dodger Stadium into a money machine covered in Japanese advertisements and mobbed each afternoon by tour groups. — Andy McCullough, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026

During the 1984 Super Bowl, an advertisement launched a technological revolution. — Jake Lundberg, The Atlantic, 3 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