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
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Recent Examples of puffery
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
This column is dedicated to my late father, Dr. Subhash Jain, a dedicated physician, father, grandfather, and husband who always prioritized the real work of delivering great patient care over hype—and always pushed me to look beyond puffery in the development of my own perspectives.
—Sachin H. Jain, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2023
See All Example Sentences for puffery
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
This column is dedicated to my late father, Dr. Subhash Jain, a dedicated physician, father, grandfather, and husband who always prioritized the real work of delivering great patient care over hype—and always pushed me to look beyond puffery in the development of my own perspectives.
—Sachin H. Jain, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2023
See All Example Sentences for puffery
Recent Examples of Synonyms for puffery
Noun
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This seems to have surprised many who assessed his rhetoric as just more hype likely to fall prey to the same institutional constraints and poor execution that hampered Trump in his first term.—
Susan B. Glasser,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2025
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Zhao points out that the hype around generative AI often overshadows its limitations.—
Hessie Jones,
Forbes.com,
3 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Even worse, much of it seems to be done for publicity purposes to appeal to Trump’s base.—
Phil Terrana,
Baltimore Sun,
20 Mar. 2025
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Since then, the announcements have been made by an outside publicity firm.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
14 Mar. 2025
Noun
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David Landsberg, who was then vice president of advertising and would become a Herald publisher, said the newsroom was destroyed by Acosta’s murder.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
5 Apr. 2025
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Alongside the images, a series of short videos give a glimpse into the life of each talent, which debut Monday with a mix of outdoor advertising and on Tod’s social channels.—
Thomas Waller,
Footwear News,
4 Apr. 2025
Noun
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It’s been rumored for quite some time that Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. may pursue banning prescription drug advertisements on television.—
Joshua P. Cohen,
Forbes.com,
4 Apr. 2025
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Teens can easily locate drugs on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok, where drug traffickers often make advertisements in disappearing 24-hours posts, according to the DEA.—
Rachel Hale,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Puffery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/puffery. Accessed 9 Apr. 2025.
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