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
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
According to Ruby, seven of the 20 or so churches in G92, a Christian immigrant advocacy coalition in the city, are ready to offer physical sanctuary, though many are avoiding publicity for fear of harassment.
—
Caitlin Hu, CNN Money, 20 Feb. 2026
The Beverly Hilton hotel is buzzing with catering vans, publicity staff and all that precedes an all-hands event on this scale.
—Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 20 Feb. 2026
Robert Beckel, Mondale's campaign manager, went into intense negotiations with him over platform and publicity.
—Gail Sheehy, Vanity Fair, 20 Feb. 2026
Book-banning can also have a boomerang effect, in a democracy, since bad publicity is famously better than no publicity and the creation of any taboo invites its willful and thrilling violation.
—Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for publicity
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Caitlin Hu, CNN Money, 20 Feb. 2026
The Beverly Hilton hotel is buzzing with catering vans, publicity staff and all that precedes an all-hands event on this scale.
—Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 20 Feb. 2026
Robert Beckel, Mondale's campaign manager, went into intense negotiations with him over platform and publicity.
—Gail Sheehy, Vanity Fair, 20 Feb. 2026
Book-banning can also have a boomerang effect, in a democracy, since bad publicity is famously better than no publicity and the creation of any taboo invites its willful and thrilling violation.
—Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for publicity
Cite this Entry
“Publicity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/publicity. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
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