tout

1 of 2

verb

ˈtau̇t How to pronounce tout (audio)
in sense 1 also
ˈtüt How to pronounce tout (audio)
touted; touting; touts

transitive verb

1
: to make much of : promote, talk up
touted as the summer's blockbuster movie
the college's much touted women's studies program
2
: to solicit, peddle, or persuade importunately
not meant to tout you off the movieRussell Baker
3
: to spy on : watch
4
a
British : to spy out information about (a racing stable, a horse, etc.)
b
: to give a tip or solicit bets on (a racehorse)

intransitive verb

1
: to solicit patronage
2
a
chiefly British : to spy on racehorses in training to gain information for betting
b
: to give a tip or solicit bets on a racehorse

tout

2 of 2

noun

: one who touts: such as
a
: one who solicits patronage
b
chiefly British : one who spies out racing information for betting purposes
c
: one who gives tips or solicits bets on a racehorse

Examples of tout in a Sentence

Verb The company is running advertisements touting the drug's effectiveness. The company's stock is being touted by many financial advisers. People were touting tickets outside the stadium. People were touting outside the stadium.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
The manufacturer also touts the cookware’s stay-flat cooking surfaces, which help to keep oil in place, so you food cooks evenly for better and deeper flavors. Rudie Obias, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Sep. 2023 In the coming campaign, prominent Democrats will inevitably tout the strength of Biden’s first-term White House as a selling point to voters who are dubious of reelecting a president who will be 82 at his second inaugural. Walter Shapiro, The New Republic, 19 Sep. 2023 Since 2013, China has poured billions into the project, which has been touted as the brainchild of Chinese leader Xi Jinping and involves more than 150 countries and dozens of international organizations. Aakash Hassan, The Christian Science Monitor, 15 Sep. 2023 Zuckerberg touted the importance of keeping AI open-source. Paolo Confino, Fortune, 14 Sep. 2023 DeSantis has touted his administration's response to COVID-19 since the days of the Trump administration. Rachel Schilke, Washington Examiner, 14 Sep. 2023 Superintendent Jim Lloyd touted the benefits of the district’s preschool offering. John Benson, cleveland, 13 Sep. 2023 New phone sparks worry China has found a way around U.S. tech limits Nationalist commentaries and posts on Chinese social media have touted the phone as a breakthrough for Chinese companies’ independence. Meaghan Tobin, Washington Post, 7 Sep. 2023 Wednesday’s announcement also touted Bahr’s ascension to the executive managing director position. Sean P. Means, The Salt Lake Tribune, 7 Sep. 2023
Noun
Amazon’s safety report for 2022 touts a 23 percent reduction in recordable injuries for US workers between 2019 and 2022. WIRED, 16 Aug. 2023 Here are a few things: Fishing EGLE touts that the lake hosts one of the largest sport fisheries in the world and that nearly a third of the annual Great Lakes sport fish caught are pulled from its waters. Christina Hall, Detroit Free Press, 29 July 2023 Reals touts this tote as her main office work bag, due to the ample compartment and pocket storage space and professional-looking design. Erika Reals, Peoplemag, 17 Aug. 2023 Biden touts drug savings for Medicare beneficiaries as changes roll out Encounter Telehealth uses about 20 mental health professionals, many of whom are psychiatric nurse practitioners living in cities. Tony Leys, USA TODAY, 18 Mar. 2023 What the Russian government touts as humanitarian work human-rights defenders call a war crime. Masha Gessen, The New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2023 The Farmer’s Rail 2231 Front St., Cuyahoga Falls 98 Main St., Hudson The Farmer’s Rail touts itself as a mom & pop shop with specialty groceries and locally raised meat. Alex Darus, cleveland, 14 Aug. 2023 The color- and technology-forward collection touts customization, like the option to select the color of each individual panel on a refrigerator. Kristina McGuirk, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Aug. 2023 The push touts low unemployment, declining inflation, and his small-business credentials. Mabinty Quarshie, Washington Examiner, 27 July 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tout.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English tuten to protrude, peer; probably akin to Old English tōtian to stick out, Norwegian tyte

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1700, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 3

Noun

1853, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tout was circa 1700

Dictionary Entries Near tout

Cite this Entry

“Tout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tout. Accessed 24 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

tout

verb
ˈtau̇t,
ˈtüt
: to make much of : promote

More from Merriam-Webster on tout

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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