as in hype
information released to the media that is designed to gain public attention or support for a person, business, or cause the newspaper's local stories are often thinly disguised puffery for area businesses

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of puffery This is where the focused music hall puffery of the production helps. Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 22 Apr. 2024 That conclusion may sound preposterously quaint to some, unwelcome advice to a few, ridiculous puffery or an impossible goal to still others. David Baldacci, Peoplemag, 15 Apr. 2024 Most mentions of Florida were mere puffery, with little indication of what DeSantis intends to accomplish. Orlando Sentinel and South Florida Sun Sentinel Editorial Boards, Orlando Sentinel, 22 Feb. 2024 When the subject is not the movies but matters of the Middle East, the consequences of this sleight of hand are far graver than some dubious promotional puffery. Yair Rosenberg, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2024 See All Example Sentences for puffery
Recent Examples of Synonyms for puffery
Noun
  • Of course, football fans must wait 18 weeks to see what's legitimate or not, but fantasy football expert Matthew Berry is sounding the alarm on one team and buying into the hype of another.
    Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 14 Sep. 2025
  • The bundle will be available soon on October 2, 2025, undoubtedly engineered to start the hype train for an imminent Super Mario Galaxy movie, which is due in 2026.
    Mitch Wallace, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Having such a noteworthy first client gives Jetson an edge, at least in publicity, over competitors in the Part 103 Ultralight space such as Pivotal, which has already put several of its Helix and Blackfly electric aircraft into consumers’ hands.
    Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Generating publicity about my books, by comparison, has achieved better results and helped to reinforce my brand as a crisis management expert.
    Edward Segal, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Many automakers returned to advertising during the NFL season last year as vehicle inventory levels returned to more normal levels.
    Laya Neelakandan, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2025
  • What Businesses Should Do Now Notably, many of these crackdown orders on surveillance advertising occurred under the previous FTC commissioner, Lina Khan.
    Jodi Daniels, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Disney and Nelson Peltz spent tens of millions of dollars on old-school mailers, phone calls, and advertisements trying to win over individual investors, a large block of the House of Mouse’s shareholder base.
    Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Gap, for instance, this week sought to counter backlash against Sweeney’s advertisement with a campaign in which pop group Katseye lead a diverse group of dancers performing in denim against a white backdrop.
    Karen Gilchrist, CNBC, 24 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Puffery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/puffery. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.

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