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
The trial will be held in Barrow County, where Apalachee High School is located, but jury selection will take place in neighboring Hall County after defense attorneys requested a change of venue due to extensive publicity.
—
La'tasha Givens, CBS News, 9 Feb. 2026
But giving credence to the notion that all publicity is good publicity, the retailer’s partnerships with Sweeney and NFL star Travis Kelce last year garnered a total of more than 44 billion impressions and helped drive traffic up throughout the third quarter, according to the company.
—Evan Clark, Footwear News, 9 Feb. 2026
In a motion filed Friday, defense attorneys argued that publicity surrounding the case has so permeated Summit County that seating an impartial jury is no longer realistic.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 7 Feb. 2026
This is irresponsible legislation designed to garner publicity, attention and votes, not improve schools.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for publicity
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La'tasha Givens, CBS News, 9 Feb. 2026
But giving credence to the notion that all publicity is good publicity, the retailer’s partnerships with Sweeney and NFL star Travis Kelce last year garnered a total of more than 44 billion impressions and helped drive traffic up throughout the third quarter, according to the company.
—Evan Clark, Footwear News, 9 Feb. 2026
In a motion filed Friday, defense attorneys argued that publicity surrounding the case has so permeated Summit County that seating an impartial jury is no longer realistic.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 7 Feb. 2026
This is irresponsible legislation designed to garner publicity, attention and votes, not improve schools.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 6 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 10 Feb. 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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