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
Relevance
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
Vendor puffery may also be legal, but that means the IT customer needs a healthy skepticism of the typically too-good-to-be-true promises vendors make.
—
IEEE Spectrum, 23 Nov. 2025
The defendants have been described by one defense lawyer as being video gamers and recreational gun enthusiasts who were engaged in puffery, nothing else.
—Tresa Baldas, Freep.com, 3 Nov. 2025
Which is why, having failed to stop the coming spending cuts with preening puffery and shameless dishonesty, defenders of taxpayer dollars for public media have pulled out the last tool out of their political toolbox.
—Michael Graham, Boston Herald, 18 July 2025
That moment taught me the value of candor over puffery.
—Marc Stad, TIME, 16 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for puffery
IEEE Spectrum, 23 Nov. 2025
The defendants have been described by one defense lawyer as being video gamers and recreational gun enthusiasts who were engaged in puffery, nothing else.
—Tresa Baldas, Freep.com, 3 Nov. 2025
Which is why, having failed to stop the coming spending cuts with preening puffery and shameless dishonesty, defenders of taxpayer dollars for public media have pulled out the last tool out of their political toolbox.
—Michael Graham, Boston Herald, 18 July 2025
That moment taught me the value of candor over puffery.
—Marc Stad, TIME, 16 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for puffery
Recent Examples of Synonyms for puffery
Noun
-
In White Mana’s case, the diner’s rise from fair exhibit to real restaurant has brought nationwide attention over the years, but most reviewers agree that its burger cooked over a bed of onions lives up to the hype.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
-
His view cuts through the hype.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
After a string of hits in 2019 and the early 2020s, Kirk suffered a publicity crisis after making a string of homophobic comments at the Rolling Loud music festival in Miami 2021.—
Cheyenne Roundtree,
Rolling Stone,
8 June 2026
-
Tate embarked on what amounted to a publicity tour of right-wing America.—
Heidi Blake,
New Yorker,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
The new service is aimed at helping Meta diversify its revenue base, which is heavily dependent on advertising.—
Megan Cerullo,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
-
When done right, influencer marketing can offer benefits traditional advertising can’t touch.—
Wyles Daniel
June 4,
Idaho Statesman,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
The vote sets the stage for a grueling summer of campaigns and advertisements over whether voters should insert partisan politics into the judiciary.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
4 June 2026
-
Commissioners also want to restrict the type of advertisements on the robots and floated the idea of no advertisements at all, an ask the company behind the robots does not seem keen on.—
Michelle Marchante
June 3,
Miami Herald,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Puffery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/puffery. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
