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
  • This year's lineup should only keep the hype alive.
    Hudson Lindenberger, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025
  • But smart leaders know when to skip the hype and when to double down on what can scale, build lasting audience trust and unlock new lanes for growth and relevance.
    Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 22 July 2025
Noun
  • The publicity of the Patz case also helped initiate better communication between law enforcement agencies to have a wider, more comprehensive search effort when children are reported missing.
    Alana Wise, NPR, 23 July 2025
  • To help get publicity for the show, Peter Crooks — a local journalist with Diablo magazine — was pitched to write a feature story on Butler, the P.I. Moms and their upcoming series.
    Lynsey Eidell, People.com, 23 July 2025
Noun
  • This will necessitate earlier deadlines for news copy, and advertising deadlines will shift.
    Russ Wiles, AZCentral.com, 23 July 2025
  • Trolley wraps cost about $16,000 per car for the installation, with additional advertising fees tacked on.
    Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 July 2025
Noun
  • Many job advertisements are reportedly fake and one study of 1,641 hiring managers found 40% of respondents admitted to posting fake job notices.
    Erik Sherman, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025
  • Mamdani’s creative advertisements, buzzy public appearances and viral videos garnered plenty of attention.
    Daniel Wine, CNN Money, 20 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Puffery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/puffery. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.

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