publicity

noun pub·lic·i·ty \ (ˌ)pə-ˈbli-sə-tē , -ˈbli-stē \

Updated on: 19 Apr 2018

Definition of publicity

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

See publicity defined for English-language learners

See publicity defined for kids

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 of publicity from the Web

Will constant free publicity from Fox News be enough to deliver the GOP nomination to DeSantis?

— adam c. smith and langston taylor, miamiherald, "Campaign for Florida governor barely starts but candidates’ spending is in full swing | Miami Herald," 2 Apr. 2018
The board discussed whether Kalanick should take a leave of absence, both to mourn and to relieve the barrage of negative publicity.

— rachel aviv, The New Yorker, "At Uber, a New C.E.O. Shifts Gears," 30 Mar. 2018
Meanwhile, the lowly tack stitch gets an unexpected burst of free publicity.

— courtney shea, The Cut, "A Definitive Ranking of Meghan Markle’s Power Coats," 27 Mar. 2018
And when a young, fit, intelligent person with a college degree dies, the publicity is terrible.

— andrew liptak, The Verge, "A prisoner is given a deal he can’t refuse in an excerpt from S.J. Morden’s sci-fi novel One Way," 25 Mar. 2018
All of the bad publicity, however, has crippled fundraising.

— j. harry jones, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Horse rescue owner defends euthanasia methods," 10 Mar. 2018
The decision that will get the most publicity is the Council's vote to revise regulations about hyperandrogenism for women's events between 400 meters and the mile.

— ken goe, OregonLive.com, "Will there be a football-track conflict over dates in 2021? Oregon track & field rundown," 7 Mar. 2018
Pickford wasn’t his first affair, but for Beth the publicity about her husband and Pickford traveling together was the breaking point.

— nancie clare, Los Angeles Magazine, "How the World’s First Movie Stars Made Sure Beverly Hills Didn’t Become Part of L.A.," 20 Feb. 2018
Epps' assignment in January 2017 garnered a fair amount of favorable publicity for the space agency.

— eric berger, Ars Technica, "NASA has pulled Jeanette Epps just months before her first flight," 19 Jan. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'publicity.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of publicity

1609

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

publicity Synonyms

Synonyms

ballyhoo, hype;

advertising, marketing, propaganda;

pronouncement, publication, release;

broadcast, bulletin, dispatch, report, story;

testimonial, write-up;

Other Business Terms

amortize, caveat emptor, clearinghouse, divest, due diligence, emolument, green-collar, marque, overhead, perquisite

PUBLICITY Defined for English Language Learners

publicity

noun

Definition of publicity for English Language Learners

: something that attracts the attention of the public
: attention that is given to someone or something by newspapers, magazines, television news programs, etc.
: the activity or business of getting people to give attention to someone or something