self-promotion

noun

self-pro·​mo·​tion ˌself-prə-ˈmō-shən How to pronounce self-promotion (audio)
plural self-promotions
: the act of furthering one's own growth, advancement, or prosperity : the promotion of oneself
didn't try to disguise his self-promotion
self-promoter noun
plural self-promoters
a self-promoter who never mentioned his teammates in interviews
They both worked tirelessly on the project and never thought about bringing attention to themselves. They weren't self-promoters Jim Lambert
self-promoting adjective
self-promoting speeches
a self-promoting celebrity/politician

Examples of self-promotion in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Instead, Jason Glushon convinced Holiday to join his new independent sports agency in 2016 by avoiding any self-promotion or salesmanship. Mark Medina, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026 His career has not been defined by self-promotion or ideological grandstanding. Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 25 June 2026 They are peppered with falsehoods, misrepresentations, insults, praise, self-promotion and erratic capitalizations. New York Times, 11 June 2026 Trump seems to see it as a chance for nationalistic pride—and self-promotion. Matt Viser, The Atlantic, 11 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for self-promotion

Word History

First Known Use

1653, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of self-promotion was in 1653

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Cite this Entry

“Self-promotion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-promotion. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.

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