publicity

noun

pub·​lic·​i·​ty (ˌ)pə-ˈbli-sə-tē How to pronounce publicity (audio)
-ˈbli-stē
Synonyms of publicitynext
1
: the quality or state of being public
2
a
: an act or device designed to attract public interest
specifically : information with news value issued as a means of gaining public attention or support
b
: the dissemination of information or promotional material
c
: paid advertising
d
: public attention or acclaim

Synonyms of publicity

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Examples of publicity in a Sentence

His public appearances are good publicity for the new movie. An arrest for drunk driving is bad publicity for any celebrity. The film has gotten some good publicity. She has received a lot of publicity for her latest novel. The studio spent a lot of money on publicity for the movie.
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.
Curry's death was confirmed by his publisher, Jimmy Franco, senior director of publicity at Grand Central Publishing. — Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 26 Aug. 2026 Since 2023, the Tour has had an official partnership with TikTok, with the social media platform present in the race’s publicity caravan that passes ahead of the peloton two hours in advance. — Chris Marshall-Bell, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 Winner will be notified using the contact information provided and may be required to complete eligibility, liability and publicity releases. — Sponsored Content, Baltimore Sun, 25 Aug. 2026 But in a case of life imitating art, the show’s entire publicity strategy was inadvertently wrecked by a real-life aristocrat, after reports leaked that Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, was being eyed for a role in the series. — K.j. Yossman, Variety, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for publicity

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin pūblicitāt-, pūblicitās, from Latin pūblicus public entry 1 + -itāt-, -itās -ity

First Known Use

1609, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of publicity was in 1609

Phrases Containing publicity

Rhymes for publicity

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Browse Nearby Words

publicist
publicity
publicity stunt
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Cite this Entry

“Publicity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/publicity. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

publicity

noun
pub·​lic·​i·​ty (ˌ)pə-ˈblis-ət-ē How to pronounce publicity (audio)
1
: the condition of being public or publicly known
2
: an act or device designed to attract public interest
especially : information with a news value designed to further the interests of a place, person, or cause
3
a
: an action that gains public attention
b
: the attention so gained
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