public relations

noun

plural in form but usually singular in construction

often attributive

: the business of inducing the public to have understanding for and goodwill toward a person, firm, or institution

also : the degree of understanding and goodwill achieved

Examples of public relations in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Nina Thompson, director of public relations for SDHS, said the organization was unable to quickly provide earlier citation data specific to MacArthur Park. —Hannah Elsmore, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Nov. 2025

Detroit lost that day, but the game proved to be a massive public relations success. —Joe Kozlowski, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2025

As Major William Cage, Cruise plays an army public relations officer who finds himself up on the frontlines of war for humanity's survival against a vicious race of invading aliens known as ‘Mimics’. —Ian Stokes, Space.com, 26 Nov. 2025

The news was good for public relations — Sacramento no longer had more homeless people than San Francisco — but bad for budgets. —Theresa Clift, Sacbee.com, 26 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1898, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for public relations

• abbreviations
• abominations
• accelerations
• accommodations
• accumulations
• adjudications
• administrations
• adulterations
• affiliations
• agglomerations
• alienations
• amalgamations

Kids Definition

public relations

noun

1

: the business of creating public goodwill for a person, firm, or institution

2

: the degree of understanding and goodwill achieved